SB 

355 

15 



special A. Y. P. Exposition 
SOUVENIR EDITION 



OF 



^^^ Suburbanite's Handbook 



OF 



Dwarf Fruit Tree Culture 

Their Training and Management 



WITH 



A Discussion on their Adaptability to the Requirements 
of the Commercial Orchardist 



Both in CONNECTION and in COMPETITION with Standard Trees 



By DR. A. W. THORNTON 

Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington 
1909 




Class ^^-^^^ 

Book 



COFkKIGHT DEPOSIT. 



-l'3^ 



^he Suburbanite's Handbook 



OF 



Dwarf Fruit Tree Culture 



Their Training and Management 



WITH 



A Discussion on their Adaptability to the Requirements 
of the Commercial Orchardist 



Both in Connection and in Competition with Standard Trees 



By DR. A. W> THORNTON 

Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington 

1909 



PRESS S. B. IRISH & CO 
^ELLlNlSHAM, WASHINGTON 



- b^- 



">.' ij 






Copyright, 1909 
By DR. A. W. THORNTON 



Li'3RARY of CONGRESS 

Two Ct'i-ios Received 



51 



WAV 29 ,)&09 

Ccpyrmnt Entrv 



. wcpyrmm Lntrv , 



PREFACE 



In blocking out this hand-book I endeavored to place myself in 
the position of a suburbanite with little or no practical experience 
on Horticultural subjects, and who was desirous of beautifying and 
improving his home by the culture of these lovely dwarfs. 

Realizing such a one's requirement for a simple, detailed book 
of instructions, to enable him to know what to do, and how to do it, 
I present this hand-book for the benefit of suburbanites generally. 
While many readers may be well informed upon general Horti- 
cultural subjects, yet their attention has not been directed to the 
subject of Dwarf Fruit Tree Culture. I trust they will derive both 
pleasure and instruction herefrom. The work is open to criticism, 
of course, favorable, or unfavorable, as may happen. Others might 
have done better, and again they might not. I remember back 
seventy years ago we had these dwarf trees in our home garden, and, 
strange to say, that many of the choice fruits of that day still hold 
a high place in the selected lists of "Bests" in the nurserymen's 
catalogue of the present day. In spite of the strenuous efforts of 
three-fourths of a century to surpass them, they still hold their own. 

In conclusion I wish to acknowledge the courtesy of Professor 
Waugh of the Massachusetts Agricultural College in sending some 
cuts for illustrating this hand-book. Professor Waugh, who is per- 
haps the best posted man in the United States on the subject of 
dwarf fruit trees, has written a valuable work on the subject which 
I can highly recommend. 

My greatest difficulty in preparing this hand-book occurred 
when I came to select a list of dwarf fruits, in deciding which to 
keep in my list, and what to strike out, the claims of many of those 
stricken out being in many instances fully equal to those retained. 
Not being able to include all the ''Bests" I was compelled to make 
a selection, and will let it "go at that," and leave it an open ques- 
tion whether to modify my list in future editions. 

In conclusion I will say, I have taken much pleasure in prepar- 
ing the work, and only hope my readers will enjoy as much pleasure 
in reading it, and that it may prove the means of attracting their 
attention to this highly interesting and delightful occupation of 
Dwarf Fruit Tree Culture. 

A. W. THORNTON, 
Ferndale, Whatcom. County, Washington, 



^^^ Suburbanite's Handbook 

OF 

Dwarf Fruit Tree Culture and Management 



i I 




Bush Pear Tree 

Beurre Capaiumont — Photo 

Fig. I. 



Apple Tree — 8 branches 

Trained to goblet form 

Fig. 2 



It has been found that by treating fruit trees in a particuhir 
manner they may be so dwarfed in growth that forty and 
more apple trees may be grown in the space ordinarily required for 
a single standard apple tree, at the same time increasing their pro- 
lificacy and vastly improving the quality and beauty of the fruit. 
Other fruits, as apricots, nectarines, pears, plums, etc., are subject 
to the same change. This dwarfing is no new discovery, but has been 
practiced successfully in Europe for centuries, and in Japan for a 
millenium, and has been reduced to a science, that is perfectly simple, 



6 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

and may be successfully practiced by any one who is capable of doing 
as they are told. 

There are three varieties of apple roots which have this power 
of dwarfing the growth if budded or grafted on them. They are 
known as the Paradise, Doucin and Crab. The Paradise apple is a 
slow growing dwarf tree, a native of Europe, and is largely propa- 
gated in Prance, to be used as a stock for working free growing- 
apple scions into, in order to dwarf their growth, and is the best 
adapted for producing very small trees. The apple trees reduced 
on this stock are so reduced in size that they may be planted only 
three or four feet apart, and the bearing age is so forwarded that 
they will begin to bear some times the first year, and by the fourth 
year will bear a bushel or more of the choicest quality of fruit. 
The Doucin apple is another variety of dAvarfs wild apple, but is of 
a more vigorous growth than the Paradise ; it is called in England 
"The broad-leafed Paradise," which causes some confusion in the 
catalogues of dwarf fruit trees. It is better adapted for apple trees 
that are to be trained as half standard and espalier tree, as it does 
not dwarf the growth so much as the French Paradise. Both, how- 
ever, may be grown in pots, if desired, and yield large crops. The 
Crab is still more vigorous and is hardly comparable with the Para- 
dise. It is used for growing half standards, and especially adapted 
for making "fillers" in commercial orchards. All other apples are 
grown on ordinary apple roots. 

The dwarfing of fruit trees is subject to definite laws, which 
may be briefly expressed thus: "Anything that retards the flow of 
sap in growing trees has a tendency to dwarf the growth, increase 
fruitfulness and hasten maturity in bearing." It is therefore evident 
how peculiarly adapted these dwarf trees are to the requirements of 
the suburbanite, who on his town lot can have a miniature garden, 
consisting of forty or fifty of these little trees of the choicest varieties 
of apples, pears, plums, apricots, nectarines, peaches, figs, grapes 
and small fruits, not to mention the unalloyed pleasure of tending 
and training the lovely pets. I do not know of anything more beauti- 
ful and interesting than these little trees from the time they first 
break into bloom in spring and while passing on to the perfecting 
of their delicious fruit. Above all is the infallible pleasure and 
pride of the tired and worried business man, or the tired-out society 
woman going morning or evening to care for the little beauties — 
a snip here and a pinch there trains them in the way they should go. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 7 

Or can you realize the feeling of pride, pleasure and satisfaction 
after training these little trees with your own hand to grow in pots, 
and when loaded with gorgeous flowers or luscious fruit, when en- 
tertaining your friends, to place pot and tree to decorate your dining 
table as a center piece, and surprise them with the result of your 
own handy work. This is an experience not uncommon in Europe, 
where it is frequently practiced. The question of health also is 
worth considering in this connection. Like those little trees produc- 
ing their fruit so near the ground, secure a degree of health and 
beauty therefrom not to be obtained otherwise, so the closer the 
worn-out man or woman can get to work in the ground the happier 
and better they will feel. 

There was a physician in California who was so alive to this 
fact that he made his female patients believe he could cure them 
quicker not by giving them medicine, but by prescribing for the 
vegetables they consumed. He therefore made them grow their own 
vegetables, fertilizing them with his medicines, which they were to 
apply to the plants daily, at stated houi*s, and in strictly regulated 
quantities ; he also succeeded in convincing them that his medicines 
so altered the character of the juices of the plants that they became 
entirely different from the stuff they could obtain in the market, 
and the use of them would quickly effect a cure. When he made his 
professional calls it was not to see his patients, but to examine how 
the cabbage, lettuce and cauliflowers were progressing. His patients, 
of course, got well, as might be expected from the change of lolling 
in rocking chairs and restricted sunlight to working close down to 
dear old mother earth, in God's bright sunshine. So with you, the 
care of these dwarf fruit trees will tone you up more than all the 
nostrums in the drug store. 

To resume, pears are dwarfed by working on quince stock, 
which enables them to be trained in a variety of forms. Not all 
pears take kindly to working on the quince, but when they do, they 
are very satisfactory, and when they do not, we can compel them 
to do so by the process of double grafting, which is accomplished 
by first budding or grafting some variety of pear that naturally 
takes kindly to the quince and then working the rebellious pear on 
that. This has proved a complete success and the result is all that 
can be desired. The double grafted pears are always of the highest 
quality (although a little more expensive). Whether owing to the 
double influence of the combined sap of the quince modified by pass- 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



ing through the pear graft, T know not. The fact remains, however, 
these double grafted pears are always of the highest (piality and well 
worth the extra price. Root pruning (instructions for which will be 
given farther on) is also used to check any exuberance of growth. 
Some times, if too rami)ant growers, the trees are completely lifted 




Photo of PLasguods Apple and Doyenne du Coniice I'ear 
Fig- 4 

and replanted in the same j^lace or removetl to another locality, 
without checking their fruiting. They may also be planted in pots 
with good effect. 

The apricot, nectarine, peach and plum are dwarfed by working 
on the Myrobolan, Mariana and Mussull plum stocks. They may 
also be dwarfed to advantage on the "American Western Sand 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 




"Crim^uii GaluuJe' Pcach, u years' old 
I'ig- 37 

Cherry." They can be grown in pots, both plain and perforated as 
well as in baskets (see cuts). When planted in perforated pots, or 
baskets, the pot is plunged in the spring in a rich border, and the 
fine protruding fruit fibers feed on the surrounding fertile soil. In 



10 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



the fall, after the fruit has been gathered, the pots are taken up and 
the protruding roots cut off and the pot and tree removed to the 
orchard house or cellar. In the case of basket planting, the basket 
is planted in its place and left there, when it soon decays and leaves 
the roots free to spread. 

The cherry is dwarfed by working on the Mahaleb cherry or the 
sand cherry. The tig's growth is restricted by potting and root 
pruning. 




Peach in Perforated Pot 
Fig. 3 

All the above fruits are grown in England and France, and may 
be grown successfully in the United States if the necessary condi- 
tions are complied with. Of course the United States is a mighty 
BICt country and includes many varying climatic conditions, which 
may require modifications of treatment for the trees, but there are 
few regions so inhospitable as to be beyond redemption, as I will 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



11 



presently show. I note the American Pomology Society, in a bul- 
letin (Bulletin No. 8, Division of Pomology), issued by the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, has divided the United States into 19 Pomol- 
ogical districts, more or less adapted to different varieties of fruits. 
For the purpose of this hand-book I will reduce that number to the 
following five : 

First — The northern tier of states, consisting of Maine, Vermont, 
New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, 
Montana and Wyoming. This contains some of the most inhospitable 
fruit regions, but it may to a great extent be made to meet the re- 
• luirements of those dwarf trees. 




Fancy trained, globlet form 
Showing vine when inconvenient to plant near a wall may be 
planted at a distance in a basket and led underground to wall 

Fig- 5 

Second — ^The middle belt of states from the Atlantic coast to the 
112th degree of longitude, wdiich comprises a fairly good fruit region, 
and well adapted to dwarf tree culture. 

Third — We have the region of the Rocky Mountains and includ- 
ing Idaho, Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon and Nevada. 
This embraces a varied fruit region, in many places producing the 
finest quality of fruits and in others (from local conditions) some not 
so good, but nearly all may be utilized for dwarf trees. 



12 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

Fourth — We have the southern states, with Southern California, 
which is unadapted to some varieties of dwarf trees while others 
do well. 

Fifth, and Last — ^^We have a region where the dwarf fruit tree 
garcien requirements are met to perfection, namely, Puget (Sound, 
VVt'stern Washington and Western Oregon, a region unsurpassed and 
unsurpassable in many ways, and where every suburbanite should 
iiave his dwarf tree garden in full operation to its utmost capacity 
and enjoy his own apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, 
tigs, eui'rants, gooseberries, strawberries and grapes. 

While thus dividing the United fStates into fruit sections, no 
hard and fast rule can be made, and allowance must be made for 
varying local conditions. 

It may be asked here: if dwarf fruit trees are so well adapted 
CO use iu the United Stales and have been grown in Europe for 
centuries, wliy have tJie}' not been introduced here .^ They have been 
frequently introduced and tried, but they were introduced and 
worked under the European system of management that was not 
jidapted to ^vmericau coiidiiions. in fact, the introtlucers tried to 
open ail American loelv viith an i^juropeaii ivey that tlid not lit. Lat- 
terly, however, several of tiie American Agricultural Experiment 
.Stations and some private^ experimenters iiave been investigating tlie 
subject witli good results. To illustrate what ap])areiitly trilling 
errors in details may work injury to the fruit industry : When the 
])ractice of training fruit on walls was introduced from England 
(^ where it had been success! uUy practiced for centuries) it was dis- 
covered that the trees were quickly killed with the heat. The mystery 
was not solved for many years, when it was discovered that the diffi- 
culty could be obviated by training the trees not against the walls, 
but to trellises three inches from the wall and thus allowing all of the 
hot air concentrated by the sun's rays against the wall to escape and 
secure free ventilation. It is now a fully established fact that dwarf 
trees can be as successfully produced in the United States as they 
can in England or France, and the adaptability of these trees to sub- 
url)anite's use is freely admitted by experts. The question of their 
suitability to the recpiirements of the commercial orchardist is still 
an unsettled one and open to controversy, with strong arguments in 
its favor. 1 will therefore treat the two questions separately, and 
the i-eader may judge for himself. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 13 

THE DWARF TREE GARDEN FROM THE SUBURBANITE'S 

POINT OF VIEW. 

The subnr1)anite is p-enerally possessed of a limited piece of 
Gfronnd. and the nse of large standard fruit trees is out of the 
question. He requires to combine the ornamental with the useful 
as far as possible. His ground has the great advantage of being 
•well sheltered from harsh winds (a very important consideration in 
fruit eidture). As a rule he does not look for profit from selling 
his fruit. He looks, however, for the enjoyment of beautifying his 
home and making it attractive to passersby. and if at the same time 
he can produce fruit of the highest quality for himself, family and 
friends, he Avill feel himself amply repaid for the work. While he 
is thus enjoying the pleasures of rural life he is at the same time 
mnkinsr a valuable investment by increasin'/ the mon.ev value of his 
property should he at any time desire to sell. Also, if he has chil- 
dren., by giving each of them one or more of these little trees FOR 
THETR YYjUY own. and teaching them how to care for them, he 
mav develop a taste for natnre studies that will go far to wean them 
from thp streets, hoodlums and other bad in fluences to which sub- 
urbanite boys and srirls are exposed. While the commercial orchard- 
ist rennires as few varieties as possible, but in sufficient quantities 
to furnish carload lots of each fruit, the suburbanite desires as many 
varieties as possible, though only one or two trees of each kind, so as 
to secure fresh and varied fruit of his own growina- every month 
in the year. The dwarf fruit tree garden therefore fully meets his 
wants. He can have a supply of little trees of dessert pears ripening 
their fruit from July and every succeeding month till the following 
April : he can also have a few varieties specially adapted for stew- 
iuGr or bakincr. and can have a few spefinllv suited for exhibition 
purposes, for those dwarf trees will produce the largest and hand- 
somest fruit to be found anywhere. Tn apples, too. he can have a 
■^'arietv of desert apples. ripeninQ- everv month in the year, from 
•Tulv to the followino' June. He ean also have a select lot of kitchen 
apples, lastinsr from .Aucrust to the followiufir Mav. which will add 
<rreatly to his enioyment. In resrions that might seem too severe for 
these fruits, they mav be compelled to bear, v^nth a little extra 
trouble, bv Q-rowiufr in pots or boxes, and the luxury of growincr 
them Avill fully repay any little extra trouble, which, in reality, is 
no trouble at all, but the most enjoyable kind of pleasure. 



14 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

Peaches, apricots and nectarines may be classed together. They 
will ordinarily grow in the open air in many parts of the United 
States, though in some regions the climate is too severe for them. 
By dwarfing they become hardier, and when grown in pots may be 
shifted without difficulty, after the fruit has been picked in the fall, 
to tlie protection of the orcliard house or cellar, and again be set out 
in the open border to blossom and bear fruit in the summer. 

A few plums and cherries should also have a place in the garden, 
as the can be dwarfed, while the cherries may be saved from the 
exorbitant toll invariably taken by the birds off high trees. Figs, 
too, though seldom grown outside of California and the Southern 
states, can be grown in the open air if given the protection of the 
cellar in the cold weather and exposed to warm and sheltered spots 
in the summer. Currants, both white, red and black, are very desir- 
able, nor do they take any more room than the dwarf trees. The 
gooseberry is a fruit not adapted to the hot portions of the United 
States, but in the cooler regions, is a most luscious fruit to eat out 
of hand when fully ripe and one that Americans know very little 
about, judging it from the green, sour, unripe fruit usually seen in 
our markets. In reality there are varieties of the gooseberry more 
luscious than any grape when fully ripe. Great attention has been 
paid to improving this fruit in England both as to size and quality. 
They now come in a large variety; large, medium and small; red, 
white, green, yellow; hairy and smooth; late and early in ripening, 
and if allowed to ripen fully, all are delicious to eat out of hand, and 
if better known would be more appreciated in this country. For 
many years great improvement has been made in England in the 
gro-vvth and rpiality of the gooseberry as well as their training, owing 
to the practice of giving prizes for the best berries grown each year. 
This is particularly exemplified in the county of Lancashire, where 
the vast number of mill operatives are encouraged to compete with 
one another in producing the finest fruits. One of the greatest im- 
provements is in training as a cordon (see cut) for the trellis or 
wall. Heretofore it was no joke to pick gooseberries unless one was 
provided with a good pair of gloves to protect themselves from the 
thorns, but now by training as cordons, on wires, or walls, this 
trouble is avoided. So universal is the culture of this fruit in Eng- 
land that leading nursery men furnish lists of over 100 varieties, all 
having received one or more prizes in different seasons. 

Grapes may be grown as dwarfs either in pots or on the Call- 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 15 

fornia system. There the vines are cut back to mere stubs, each one 
being shortened annually to only three buds, these buds sending out 
fruit bearing canes the next season and greatly improving the yield 
and quality. The grape gvovm in California is of the "Vitis Vini- 
fera" species, and are of the highest quality, but will only grow on 
the Pacific Coast in the open air. The American grape is of the 
"Vitis Labrusce" species, and will not bear the short pruning the 
California grape stands. 

The plum, too, is well adapted to the miniature garden, and is 
a fruit the best of which is hardly known beyond the Pacific Coast. 
In Europe and on the Pacific Coast the "Prunus Domestica" is the 
species chiefly grown; it contains as a class plums of the highest 
quality, while inferior varieties principally are grown in the Eastern 
and Western states. 

Quinces are a very valuable fruit and well adapted to the minia- 
ture fruit garden as it is naturally a slow growing shrub and may 
be farther dwarfed by root pruning. It is chiefly used as a cooking 
fruit, making delicious marmalade, jelly and preserves. The small 
fruits, as strawberries, currants, raspberries and blackberries should 
all find a place in the suburbanite garden. The strawberry may be 
grown as a border or edging around the flower beds and vegetable 
plots, not allowing them to produce any runners, and by planting 
them a foot or eighteen inches apart in the row they will produce an 
abundance of fruit. I have grown strawberries on this hill plan, 
keeping the runners clipped off, and have kept the same plants on 
the same ground for 15 consecutive years and yielding satisfactory 
crops all the time. This system is not adapted to commercial culture, 
but fits in to the suburbanite's requirement admirably. Raspberries, 
especially of the red and yellow varieties, may be controlled and 
rendered less rampant by pinching the leading bud of each new cane 
in June. When the canes have reached about three feet in height 
they will send out side shoots and become more stocky. This pinch- 
ing of the canes may be continued all through the summer if re- 
quired to control the growth. I fancy I hear some suburbanite 
possessing only a small 25-foot lot close in town say: What is this 
man "giving us?" How can I plant all these fruit trees on my little 
patch of ground? Wait a bit, my friend. There are suburbanites 
and suburbanites, some living close in town with their 25-foot lots, 
and some living further out with lots of one or more acres and all 



16 



THE SUBURBANITES HANDBOOK. 



(liniciisioMs bciwc(-ii who arc intcfcslcd in tliis suljjcct. Do not repine 
;it your conditions, but take a'i\ aiita^c of the opportunities that lie 
within your reach. If you caniiol liiul room for 50 trees, phmt 25; if 
that is t*»o many, plant 10, oi', at all events, try just one, and my 
word for it. >'ou will he so ])I eased tlmt you will soon find room for 
aiu)ther. RenuMuher, it is the man behind the q'un that makes the 
shooting', be it i^ood or bad. And all tlu^se trees are i>'rown under 
hiirh pressure and artificial conditions. The very aristocracy of the 
fruit trees (the "400,"' so to speak) must be treated with all 
due respect and projX'r attention. The work is by no means hard or 
difficult ami may be easily accomi)lished by any intelligent man, 
woman or child Avho \y\]\ obey ord(^rs and do as they ar(^ told. The 
re(]nirenu'nls must in all cases be done a.t the riti'ht time and in the 
riuht mannej'; it will not do to be satisfied with "I THINK that will 
(h)." but p) one step farther ami say. ^'1%ere. that is JUST RIGHT." 

WHAT TREATMENT DO THESE TREES REQUIRE? 

First — They re(juire feediiru : the groiuid must be fertile, and 
kept so. 



X 



Maideu 




"Maiden" o^fc-^ear Peach 



Fig. 6 Fig. 7 

Second — They must be kept clean; no weeds must be allowed to 
rol) th(! land of its fertility and moisture, or the trees will be stinted 
in their supply of plant food. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



17 



Third — They reiiuire priming and training adapted to the sys- 
tem you wish to apply in each particuhir case. To render this part 
of my subject more intelligible and comprehensive, I will take each 
class of fruit separately and discuss the individual requirements of 
each, even at the expense of some repetition. 

First, there are some general questions which recjuire elucida- 
tion, such as: Where are these trees to be obtained? The chief source 
of supply is England and France, where the nursery men keep them 
in stock at different prices. First "the Maiden;" this is the original 
dwarfing stock; Paradise, Doucin, Myrobolan, IMahaleb, quince or 
what not. These are budded or grafted with apple, pear, peach, etc., 
as desired, but are not pruned in any way and are knoAvn as "maid- 
ens," or "one year-old trees," and, though small, are the foundation 




Peach in U Fornj 

2 years' old 

Fig. 9 



Cordon Apple Trees in bearing, 2 year's old 

After Le Coruu 

Fig. 8 



18 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

for all the training of the future tree, as bush, Cordon Pyramid, 
Goblet, Palmette, Standard, etc. They conslt-t of a root and stem 
with the graft or bud inserted, and may be trimmed back to an inch 
or two of the graft, and are ni the best condition for shipping long 
distances, at the some time the price, duty and cost of importing 
are at the lowest figure. With these "maidens" the purchaser has 
entire control of the future form he wishes his little tree to have. 
Should he not purchase his tree as a "maiden," then the nursery 
man proceeds to train it to suit himself and sells it the next season 
as a trained two-year old at an advanced price. It is really a one- 
year from the bud and may or may not have developed one or more 
fruit buds. Next season it will develop more fruit spurs, or fruit 
buds, and the training has been carried on still farther in the re- 
quired direction, and it is now classed as a bearing tree and sold at 
a still higher price. After this its cost and value increase year by 
year in accordance with its size and number of fruit spurs and from 
training. 

The American duty on "nursery stock" is 25 per cent ad val- 
orem, in addition to which it must be remembered there is an "entry 
fee" charged by the custom house of $2 for each invoice, as well 
as $1 charge for "permit." It will therefore be seen that it would 
be inadvisable for the suburbanite to send to Europe for a small lot 
of these trees. For instance, say he wished to procure $5 worth of 
trees; he would be required to pay in addition $1.25 duty, $2 entry 
and $1 per mit ; that would be $4.25 in addition to the simple price of 
the trees, in addition to which there would be freight to New York, 
insurance and forwarding and overland transportation charges. Nor 
could he avail himself of the intervention of parcels post service, as 
the goods would require to be examined at the customs house at the 
first porty of entry reached in the United States ; and however care- 
fully packed originally by the nurserjanan, would, under the careless 
repacking by the customs house people and the further 3,500 miles 
overland journey by railway, run a very strong risk of being utterly 
ruined in transit. Some of the stock, however, used for dwarfing 
if under 3 years old comes at a somewhat lower rate of duty under 
the class of "seedlings" and "cuttings" which is a specific duty of 
$1 per 1,000 and 15 per cent ad valorem, together with the $3 
entry and permit charges and the trees in tliis class would require 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 19 

working after they reached here and would be equally unadapted for 
private importation in small lots. 

I may say here by way of parenthesis that as I will be constantly 
importing these trees from Europe for use in my own nursery to 
supplant my stock, I shall be pleased to embody in my orders any 
stock my readers may require at prices for delivery, duty paid, F. 
0. B. at Ferndale, to be had upon application. 

Having now an intelligent idea of what these trees are and 
where to get them, the next question is: What preparation is re- 
quired, and this brings us to the consideration of soils, fertilization 
and planting. 

Any good fertile garden soil, if well drained, will grow fruit 
trees ; but wet, soggy and lumpy land will prevent success. As I said 
before, these dwarf trees are high toned aristocrats and require spe- 
cial attention, therefore to secure the best results "intensive culture" 
is desirable. The land, if possible, should be trenched in the first 
instance. Trenching is performed by first marking the size of your 
bed, then by digging a trench 18 inches or two feet deep at one 
end of the bed, taking the soil dug out in a wheelbarrow and dump- 
ing it close to but beyond the other end of the bed. You have 
now a trench from which the soil has been entirely removed to two 
feet deep; you then continue digging the bed from the trench still 
two feet deep, turning the first foot of top soil into the bottom of the 
trench, and the second foot into the same trench on top of the other 
You now have one trench filled in with top soil at the bottom and 
another trench open next the undug remainder of the plot. You will 
continue to dig strip by strip, throwing the soil into the open trenches 
in front of you, and thus continue until you have dug over the whole 
plot and have an empty trench left. You then throw the soil you 
dug out of the first trench into this last empty one and you will 
have your plot all trenched and level. This is the most thorough and 
best preparation for a garden plot. If you cannot get the whole plot 
trenched the first year you may take a narrower strip, but wide 
enough for the trees, and trench it as described and the following 
year trench an adjoining strip and you will soon have your lot all 
trenched. Should your land not have good soil deep enough to allow 
you to dig eighteen inches or two feet without striking hard pan, 
you will require to dig as deep as you can and add a liberal allow- 
ance of stable manure, incorporating it well with the soil. If your 
land is reasonably fertile, it will require no fertilizer the first or 



20 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

second year, as you must not force the growth too much. Your 
object is to check the growth rather than stimulate it; when it 
reaches the fruiting stage you will then require to stimulate with 
fertilizers. I have been thus particular in detailing the process of 
trenching because it is to the proper performance of that manipula- 
tion that we owe our greatest success in dwarf fruit tree culture. 
Where the grower has a sufficient area of land that he can avail 
himself of horse power, he may have the land plowed 12 or 18 inches 
deep and subsoiled and the surface finely cultivated, as for a garden 
patch. But above all it must be well drained, either naturally or 
artificially, as fruit trees will invariably die if they are exposed to 
cold and wet feet. 

We have prepared our ground, and may now get our trees; but 
what shall we do with them? We must first unpack them, and at 
this time remember that the roots of these young trees are very 
susceptible to injury from exposure, so have everything in readiness 
before you open the package. If for any reason you are not ready 
to plant them permanently, it will be necessary to "heel them in." 
The expression "heel them in" means to make a temporary planting 
of them, to secure them from injury until transplanted in their final 
location, as this is a manipulation that every gardener should ])e 
familiar with. I descril)e it here. Select a spot where no water will 
stand during the winter, and not having any grass close by to harbor 
mice, dig a trench deep enough to admit one layer of roots and 
sloping enough to allow the stems to recline at an angle of about 
30 degrees with the ground. Having ]ilaced one layer of roots in 
this trench, cover them with MELLOW EARTH EXTENDING 
WELL ITP ON THE BODIES, AND SEE THAT THIS IS FIRMLY 
PACKED ; then add another layer of trees, overlapping the first, and 
continuing as at first until all are heeled in. As soon as this is done, 
cover the tops so well with evergreen boughs that they will be thor- 
oughly protected from winds. In sections where the winters are 
very severe trees procured in the fall can be best cared for in this 
manner and may be planted out permanently in the spring. Having 
then this trench ready and a pail of water at hand, unpack your 
trees and look them over. If you find them much dried out, dip them 
in the pail of water and allow them to remain in it a few minutes; if 
any of the roots are bruised or injured, trim them off with a sharp 
knife or pruning shears, and "heel them in" as directed, emptying 
the water over the roots in the trench when about half filled with 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



21 



earth. Be particular at this stage to see the labels are in place and 
secure from displacement so that the different varieties of trees can 
be identified in the spring. Be ready to plant the trees as soon as 
received. We come to the manipulation of planting. 

PLANTING — It is better to get your trees in the fall for many 
reasons, as then the nurser}^ man is not so rushed, and as their supply 
is not so picked over you can generally secure better trees ; and if 
you have everything in readiness for the permanent planting the 
trees generally do better, as they start right in to make new fibrous 




Planting— WRONG. Planting— right 
Fig. 63 Fig. 64 

feeding roots, which, when heeled in, are to some extent injured in 
transplanting in the spring. Open your package and examine the 
condition of the roots; if too dry, moisten them; if bruised, trim 
them ; see that the labels are securely attached, but not tied so tightly 
as to constrict the stems. Before opening the package, however, you 
must have the holes dug amply large enough to accommodate the 
roots, spread out in their natural condition, without bending or 
cramping (see cuts) ; set the tree in the middle of the hole, keeping 
it perpendicular ; spread out the roots in their natural position, and 
work in the fine soil with a little stick or your fingers, among the 
roots until the roots are covered, and tramp them solid (the earth 



22 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 





Root development 

Root injured before planting 

Fig. lo 



Root development 

Not injured before planting 

Fig. II 



around the roots must be well compacted), then till up the hole with 
loose earth. SET THE TREE FIRM AS A POST, BUT LEAVE 
THE SURFACE SOIL LIGHT AND LOOSE. 

Remember to plant the tree with the point of union between 
the stock and graft a couple of inches ABOVE the soil. THIS IS 
IMPORTANT, for although it may be advisable in planting standard 
orchard trees to place the point of union with the graft below the 
surface, the dwarf tree require the opposite line of treatment. We 
graft the free growing cions on the Paradise or other dwarfing 
stock for the express purpose of restricting its growth, and if we 
plant the dwarf tree with the point of union below the surface of 
the ground, the free growing cion will throw out roots of its own 
and thus antagonize our work for dwarfing. I wish to impress 
this point on my readers because they will find many authorities 
recommending the practice of covering the point of union with the 
soil. This they do from being unfamiliar with the requirements of 
the dwarf trees, or ignoring their existence altogether; my object in 
this hand-book being to instruct the suburbanite in the culture of 
DWARF TREES, not commercial orchards; therefore I say nothing 
about supporting the tree with a mound of earth or stakes, as at this 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 23 

stage these little trees do not require it. However, we must not 
forget mulching, which must now be done. Mulching is accom- 
plished by placing a layer of coarse manure, hay, straw or other 
litter from three to six inches deep, extending one or two feet further 
all around than the roots. This protects them from the ground dry- 
ing out, or baking with the wind or sun, and keeps the soil under- 
neath mellow. This mulch may be removed in the spring or turned 
under and incorporated with the soil in the after culture. Having 
our trees safely planted, we may now take time to consider the dif- 
ferent fruit trees in detail. 

APPLES. 

As apple trees produce their fruit on fruit spurs, which remain 
bearing from year to year and for many years, it is of the utmost 
importance to secure and maintain the largest supply thereof 
possible and protect them from injury, and next to train the trees 
into the desired shape. The shape of our dwarf trees will greatly 
depend upon our special requirements and is in a great measure 
under our control, though some trees have distinctive habits of 
growth that may require modification. Thus in bush trees some are 
naturally close growing and may be planted only foiu* feet apart, 
while others of a more open habit of growth will require more space 
and must be planted six feet apart or more. The dwarf apple tree 
"maiden" is one year old and has not been pruned. When we plant 
it we cut it back to a point just a little above the point of grafting ; 
the second year it will send out side shoots, and perhaps a few fruit 
spurs will form the first year from our planting. In June, if there 
are a number of side shoots, select the most favorably placed for the 
future frame of the tree and let them grow unchecked till the leaves 
fall in the winter, when they may be cut back to one-half or two- 
thirds. The other shoots that start as soon as they have made four 
good leaves should be pinched back to three perfect leaves ; this will 
have the effect of making a fruit spur in that place and may be 
expected to bear blossoms and fruit the next season. No shoots must 
be allowed to grow below the graft as all future growth must be con- 
fined to whatever comes from the graft. Sometimes little trees make 
more fruit spurs than they are able to support, in which case it may 
be necessary to pinch off some of the fruit blossoms BEFORE THEY 
FULLY OPEN. Thereafter, for bush trees, you may let them grow 



24 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 




■^, 





Fancy Trained 
Fig. 12 

as they will, only pinching' back surplus shoots to three leaves to 
form nu)re fruit spurs. You will bear in mind that all fruit trees 
that bear their fruit on spurs, when they have their shoots cut back 
IN SUMMER to half an inch will form fruit spurs, and if pinched 
back IN SUMMER to three leaves, will do likewise. Every year 
these little bush trees will bear more and more fruit, the first year 
producing- perhaps one or two, the second year perhaps a dozen, the 
fourth one bushel, and thereafter increasing crops. It must be re- 
membered also that these fruit are so completely under control that 
they may be thinned without difficulty to just what the capacity of 
the tree will justify for production of first quality fruit; they are 
so dwarfed that the wind has little effect on the fruit in causing 
windfalls. These dwarfed trees are capable of being trained in a 
number of different forms, but simple bushes. Espaliers, Pyramids 
and Cordons are best adapted to the apple (see cuts for different 
forms of trees). All these forms are the result of training and judi- 
cious pruning, and although many of them are the result of pure 
"fun and fancy," others have very important advantages. It will 
be observed pruning is of two distinct classes, one for the production 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



25 



of wood and increase of growth, and the other for the restraining 
growth and the production of fruit, and are known as winter and 
summer pruning. With dwarf trees the summer pruning is of the 
greatest importance, a neglect of which will quickly work havoc 
with your trees. It may be remarked here that there are two distinct 
systems of pruning. See Figs. Where they are contra,cted one is 
generally called the "shortening in" process and may be described 
as "pruning back from the tips," causing compactness in form, while 
the other is "pruning out from the stem" and forms a spindling 
head and is important in stone fruit trees, such as peaches, nectarines 
and apricots, which produce fruit on last season's shoots. 

Instead of growing these trees as simple bushes we can econo- 
mize space by training them as cordons and at the same time increase 
their production. Cordons may be either upright oblique or U form 




Half standard 

Goblet Form 

Fig- 13 



Standards and Half Standards 
Fig. 14 



26 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



%^^^^ 




Pyramid Form 
Fig. 17 



Trained Pyramid Form 
Fig. 15 

and may be produced as follows : If your maiden tree has been cut 
back before you receive it, it will require no pruning that winter ; in 
spring shoots will start from the graft buds, of which you will select 
the most upright growing and tie it to a stake as it grows. In June 




Palmetto Form 
Fig. 16 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



27 





-M^k 



x^,^ 




Peach Tree "shortened in" 

Properly pruned in suninier 

Fig. i8 



Upright Cordon 

2 by 4 ft. 

Fig. 20 

3'OU will cut all side branches back to one or two inches. In August 
pinch back any shoots that have made five leaves to three leaves 
and continue each winter cutting the leader back within one or two 




Peach wrongly pruned 

Winter pruning 

Fig. 19 



28 



THE SUBURBANITES HANDBOOK 



buds of the last fruit spur and keeping all side shoots cut or pinched 
back through the summer. Remember the cordon is simply a straight 
stem without any branches and only leaves and fruit spurs all along 
its length. If instead of a single cordon you wish to have a double 
cordon, or U or double U, instead of training one leader perpendicu- 
larly, select two opposite shoots and bend them down at right angles 
and then at six inches farther bend them upright and so continue, 
leaving six inches between each upright branch, thus a five-branch 
upright trained tree will measure 24 inches from outside to outside, 




^ 



Oblique Cordon 
Fig. 21 






Fancy Trained 
Fig. 23 

and conseciuently may be planted two and one-half to three feet 
apart. The oblique cordon is between the upright and the horizon- 
tal and is intended to secure a longer stretch of bearing wood than 
would be obtained if trained upright on the same height of wall or 
trellis. Oblique cordons may be planted only 12 to 18 inches apart. 
For horizontal cordons plant the trees eight to sixteen feet apart, 
depending on whether you wish them to be double or single. If single 
(which is preferable) plant the trees eight feet apart, stretch a stout 
galvanized iron wire between rigid posts, about one foot 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



29 










V 



B 



[•// - 



It 




^ 


N 


'■ 




3 




1 




O 


tvi 


''l' 




Q 


fri 


':'' 




1 

o 




J- 


^ 


"S 




<<, 




a 





from the ground, and bend the leader at right angles to 

the stem and train it along the wire as it grows until it 

overlaps the next tree, when you can graft them together, 

called enarchiug, by cutting a little of the bark off each and 



30 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 




V'i?!^ 



Oblique Cordons 

Fig. 27 

tieing the denuded parts together with grafting wax, making 
a continuous line of bearing wood all along the wire. This 
plan is especially adapted for apples and is generally placed along 
either the front or back of a flower bed. The double horizontal 
cordon differs only in planting the trees 16 feet apart and training 
two leaders in opposite directions and tying together the ends of 
adjoining trees when they overlap. In the latter case you save the 
cost of one-half the trees required in the first instance. The palmette 
Verier and the Espallier are merely modifications of the cordon and 
will be easily understood from the cuts, they have the advantage of 
supplying a more extended surface of bearing wood and conse- 
quently effect a saving in the purchase of trees at the start. The 
pyramid and goblets are very useful styles of training and are 
specially adapted to the apple and pear. Pyramids require a very 
simple system of pruning and yet form the most beautiful and pro- 
lific trees for garden or lawn. The whole system consists in simply 
thinning out the side shoots in June, shorten to half their length in 
October. Tn winter a few autumnal shoots will be found to require 
pruning; these should all be shortened to three or four buds. If the 
trees are aged or crowded with shoots they should be thinned with 
a sharp knife; this will constitute the whole pruning for the year. 
P\Tamids should be planted in rows nine feet apart. Goblet or vase- 



OF DWARP" FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



31 



shaped trees are very useful and beautiful ; for these a dwarf tree of 
four or five years old is the foundation if the tree will produce six 
(«r eight shoots. For a few years these shoots will require to be tied 
to stakes for support, but in time will be self supporting. Apple 
trees of this form are exceedingly ornamental and form beautiful 
objects either in blossoms oi- fruit ; the hollow center allows the 
admission of sun and air to the great benefit of the fruit. With 
these instructions and a fair modification of good taste and attention 
these varied forms may be produced. The Japanese and some 
European gardeners produce some very grotesque forms, which have 
no greater value than the ordinary styles, beyond "fun and fancy,'' 
and certainly the forming of them will afford lots of fun. 

Half standard apple trees are dwarfed on the Doucin and crab 
stock, which, while reducing their size corusiderably, permits a larger 
growth than the Paradise and render them eminently adapted for 
use as "fillers" in setting out commercial orchards to occupy space- 
between the larger trees while waiting for them, to bear. As the 




PYRAMIDAL FORM 




Fig. 28 



Pyramid Trained Peach 
Fig. 29 




32 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



dwarfs come into bearing so much earlier they will pay a large 
profit before the large trees begin to bear. Above all things never let 
any shoots grow on the stem between the root and the graft in any 
of these trees. 




Half Standard 
Fig. 30. 




Pearh Palmetto 

1st Stage 

Fig- 31 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



33 




34 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



PEARS. 

The same rule ap})lies to pears as to apples, ouly pears are 
dwarfed by working on the quince, by root pruning and pot culture. 
They may be grown as l)ushes, pyramids, cordons or half standards. 
Pyramids and several forms of cordons are best suited to the pear. 
Walls and trellises also suit this fruit. This fruit is greatly improved 
by dwarfing and is worthy of all the care bestowed on it. Their 
season of ripening may be greatly hastened or prolonged in the 
cooler parts of the United States by winter protection ; or be forced 
by training into cordons and bent back to enable their being covered 
with a hotbed sash in the spring to protect their blossoms from cold 
rains and prevent the polen being washed off the flowers. They may 
be grown as bushes, pyramids, cordons or half standards, but pyra- 
mids are the most beautiful and specially adapted to the suburban- 
ite's use, especially where a roomy lawn is available. 

As some of my suburlianite readers may like to obtain a money 




Trrtiiu-d Pear Tree, only 6 inches between 
lir.mches, 2 ft. from "out to out" 

Fig- 33 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 35 

profit in addition to the pleasures and luxury of having a minature 
fruit garden, and as both apples and pears are subject to the same 
treatment, I will in this place give a few hints that may help in that 
direction. It has become the fashion in England (a fashion that 
might with advantage be introduced into the United States) for per- 
sons with independent means to plant dwarf fruit trees and sell some 
of the produce to less fortunate neighbors at fancy prices. As an 
example of the fancy prices that are sometimes paid for dwarf 
fruit of highly attractive appearance. I may mention that there is a 
pear grown in Paris called the "Belle Angevine" or "Uvedales St. 
Germain," so attractive and large that it freciuently sell in the high- 
toned delicatessen stores in the Palais Royale at 30 francs ($5.70) 
EACH. It is of enormous size, often weighing two pounds, and very 
attractive, but utterly worthless as a desert pear, and as to its cook- 
ing qualities I cannot speak, as it is chiefly used to ornament the din- 
ner table, no one thinking of eating it, the ordinary fruit stores 
selling them for 25 cents each. 

On the subject of fertilizers it may not be amiss to quote from 
Prof. E. Waugh, of the Massachusetts Experiment Station, who has 
devoted much time and study to this subject, and says : 

"While it is true the dwarf fruit ti'ees should be liberally fed, 
there is a possibility of overdoing it. It has already been explained 
that the dwarfing of a tree depends in a certain way on its well 
regulated starvation. If the top could get all the food which its 
nature calls for, it would not be dwarfed. The rule of feeding dwarf 
fruit trees therefore should be to give them enough fertilizer to keep 
them in perfect health and in a good growing condition, but not 
enough to force unnecessary growth. Fertilizers rich in nitrogen 
should be especially avoided, and as the object in view is to secure 
an early maturity of the tree and to produce fruit, always in prefer- 
ence to wood, a larger proportion of potash would naturally be sub- 
stituted for a diminished proportion of nitrogen. Of course the 
amounts and proportions of the different elements (nitrogen potash 
and phosphoric acid) to be applied will vary greatly with different 
conditions — with the nature of the soil, age of the trees, etc. As a 
sort of standard we may say that under normal conditions of good 
soil, with dwarf apple and pear trees in bearing, there should be 
given annually for each acre : 

400 pounds ground bone. 



36 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

400 poimds muriate of potash. 

100 pounds Perucian guano. 
Peaches and plums require more nitrogen during early growth, 
and more potash when in full bearing. For a new plantation of 
these trees the following amounts should be given annually for each 
acre: 

300 pounds ground bone. 

400 pounds muriate of potash. 

150 pounds nitrate of soda. 
For peach and plum trees in bearing the following formula may 
be suggested : 

400 pounds ground bone. 

500 pounds muriate of potash. 

100 pounds Purivian guano. 
Inasmuch as many owners of dwarf fruit trees will have so much 
less than an acre for treatment, it will be best to repeat these 
formulae, reducing them to a smaller unit. Making this reduction 
somewhat freely to avoid long and useless decimals. We may com- 
pute the quantity needed for each 100 square feet of land as follows : 

For Apples and Pears in Bearing: 

1 pound ground bone. 

1 pound muriate of potash. 

Vj pound Peru\i;in guano. 

For Peaches and Plums Newly Planted: 
%: pound ground bone. 
1 pound muriate of potash. 
% pound nitrate of soda. 

For Peaches and Plums in Bearing: 

1/4 pound Peruvian guano. 

11/4 pounds muriate of potash. 

1 pound ground bone. 
For treatment of trees in winter, during frost, the trees, if 
closely packed when received, should be placed in a cellar or some 
place where the frost cannot reach them, and there remain un- 
opened till a thaw takes place, and then be unpacked and plainted ; 
with such treatment, even though frozen solid, they will receive no 
injury. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 37 

If the soil where the trees are to be planted is of fair fertility, 
no manure need be added before planting, but some fine mold be 
placed on the roots and the tree shaken so that it enters into the mass 
of fibers, and then be trodden down firmly. When the hole is filled 
in level, some manure may be spread on top in a circle of about three 
feet wide. If the soil is poor, some well rotted manure may be 
worked in when planting. In heavy and wet soils trees should be 
planted on mounds and not in holes. 

DISTANCE FOR PLANTING. 

Pyramidal pear trees and bushes on quince stock — 9 feet apart. 

Pyramidal pear trees on pear stock, root pruned — 12 feet. 

Horizontal Espalier pear trees, on quince, for rails or walls — 
12 feet. 

Upright Espahers on quince for rails or walls — 4 feet. 

Horizontal Espaliers, on pear stock, for rails or walls — 20 feet 
apart. 

Pyranlidal plum trees — 9 to 12 feet apart. 

Espalier plum trees for rails or walls — 20 feet apart. 

Pyramidal and bush apple trees, on Paradise stock, root prunes, 
for small gardens — 6 feet. 

Espalier apple trees, on Paradise stock — 12 to 14 feet. 

The same on crab stock — 20 feet. 

Peaches and nectarines for walls — 15 to 20 feet. 

Apricots for walls — 20 feet. 

Cherries as bushes or pyramids, on Mahaleb stock, root pruned, 
for small gardens — 9 feet apart. 

Espalier cherry trees, for rails or walls — 15 to 20 feet. 

Upright cordons, pear, apple and cherry — 2 to 3 feet. 

Oblique cordon trees, trained to a wire fence (of four, wires 
five feet high or more) 2 feet apart. 

Horizontal cordons — single, 5 feet ; double, 10 to 16 feet. 

Standard currants and gooseberries — 6 feet apart. 

Cordon gooseberries and currants — 9 to 12 inches apart. 

These cordon gooseberries, if planted any farther apart, allows 
too much room for the roots and permits them to grow too rampant 
and consequently would require root pruning to keep them in bounds. 
If the trees bear too profusely, so as to exhaust themselves, some 
decomposed manure, about five bushels to 25 square yards, should 



38 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



be spread IN THE WINTER over the surface of the soil and left 
there. These eondensed orchards are for small properties. A small 
orchard, well cultivated and well planted will be found most pro- 
ductive and profitable. The best form of condensed orchard will be 
secured by planting ()bli(iue cordons, as you will see from the fore- 
ti'oing table of distances for planting that the oblique cordons may 
be planted only two feet apart in the rows, allowing four to six feet 
between the rows (whicli would allow horse culture). We could 
have 'i.6oO trees to the acre, and they would commence bearing the 
second year and bear increasing crops every year after, where there 
would be room (uily for 27 standard apple trees at 40 feet apart, as 
ordinarily recommended in commercial orchards, and moreover the 
standard trees would not come into lU'ofitable bearing for eight or 
ten years. 









Peach Tree in Pot 
Fig. 34 



Half Standard 

Alexandra Noblesse Peach 

From Photo 

Fig- 35 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



39 





peach tree in pot 



Fig. 36 



Double Serpentine Training 

After Dr. Thornton 

Fig. 3S 



PEACH, APRICOT AND NECTARINE. 

The peach, apricot and nectarine may be considered together, 
as they require similar treatment. These are more tender than the 
apple and pear, but are still available for suburbanite's use in most 
parts of the United States, where the climate is not too severe, as 
they can stand a considerable degree of frost. They may be grown 
in pots, either plain or perforated on trellises, or against walls. 
They produce their fruit on the new shoots, therefore too much of 
the new growth must not be sacrificed, only enough to let in the light, 
and control the shape of the tree. 

When growing these fruits in pots they will do in 13 to 15-inch 
pots for the fir.st four or five years, and may be taken up in the 
spring, repotted in the same pots with fresh soil, and plunged, pot 
and all, into the border to fruit, or may be transferred from a pot 
into a rich border and kept there if the temperature keeps above 



40 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

zero. They may be wintered outside with a mulch of straw placed 
around the roots. If trained to a wall they may be kept close up 
to the wall in cool climates, but in hot climates it will be better to 
train them to espaliers or wire trellisses to prevent them getting 
scorched or burned. Sometimes the foliage becomes too dense, when 
it will be necessary to clip or pinch off some of the leaves to enable 
the sun to reach the fruit and brighten the color. In this case NEVER 
PULL the leaves, as doing so will injure the bud adjoining it but 
pinch with the fingei' nail or clip Avith a scissors just below the 
expansion of the leaf. 'I'bis may seem a trivial matter, but it is 
attention to just such triiies that make or mar success with dwarf 
trees. If potted trees blossom in the house where no bees can get 
to fertilize them the llower must be hand fertilized; in such cases 
the blossoms must not be emasculated, as is necessary in hybridizing, 
which see further on. 

PLUMS. 

The plum is a very delicious and superior fruit, but is not as 
well known as other hardy fruits, chiefly because a number of Amer- 
ican and Japanese plums of inferior quality have been in use. The 
plum takes up rather more room in the suburbanite's garden than 
some other dwarf fruits, as it is generally planted 12 feet apart, as 
half standards, with a stem four feet high and a round head. It 
requires little pruning. They may however be trained in the same 
way as other stone fruit, as the peach, and may be confined to more 
moderate dimensions by root pruning; it bears its fruit on fruit spurs, 
There are several varieties of plums, prunes, damsons and gages, 
etc. I would recommend for suburbanite's use the "Prunus Do- 
mestiea" class as it includes all those of finest quality. 

THE FIG. 

The fig is a very luscious fruit to eat off the tree, but is very 
little grown outside of California and the Southern states. It is 
admirably adapted to the small fruit garden, where it can generally 
be provided with sbelter and does not take up much space. It may 
be grown in pots and shifted into the cellar in the fall. The novelty 
of growing your own figs adds greatly to the pleasure of doing so. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



41 



THE CHERRY. 

The cherry is admirably adapted to the miniature fruit gardens 
as they may be dwarfed by working on the Mahaleb cherry or the 
American Western Sand cherry. They must be root pruned and 
potted, if required for small gardens, and may be trained in any form 
and bear fruit on fruit spurs on wood two years old and over. The 
large Biggareau varieties do especially well on espaliers. Dwarf 
cherries can also be secured from the depredation of birds more 
efficiently than on larger trees as they can be covered with netting. 




Bush Tree 
Ordinary dwarf 
may be planted 

4 ft. apart 
Fig. 40 




Domelow's Seedling 
Apple on Paradise 

Stock 

Late Winter Apple 

3 years' old 

Fig. 41 

SMALL FRUITS. 




Grape in Pot 
Fig- 39 



These consist of currants, gooseberries, raspberries, blackber- 
ries and strawberries, which no garden should be without. Many of 
them may be planted between other fruits, or in any out of the way 
corner. Of currants we have quite a variety — red, white, pink and 
black — all are good, either for preserving, jelly, wine or to eat fresh 
with cream and sugar. To produce very large white or red cur- 
rants the bushes should be closely pruned, the young shoots should 
be annually shortened to two inches. Currants make very handsome 
pyramids and bear profusely. Gooseberries furnish a great variety 



42 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 





.vxJ-jSrHb^ 



"^{tltii^n. 



-^r£iS:i»^- ;-JiCC?*r^7-^ 



STaNDaKO CL'RKaNT 



Fig. 42 



Currant in Tree Form 
Fig. 43 



of delicious fruit if allowed to get fully ripe — red, white, green and 
yellow, smooth and hairy, sweet and acid. For cooking they are 
generally picked green, but for home cooking it is better to let them 
get fairly ripe, as they will thus develop a much finer flavor and 
require much less sugar. With regard to raspberries and black- 
berries they are so well known as not to require any description here. 
They bear on new shoots the second year after starting. The 
canes of the current bear the summer following, and the old canes 
should be cut away in the fall or winter as they die after fruiting, 
and only three or four of the strongest new canes allowed to grow. 
They may be kept in bounds by stopping the new shoots in June. 

As to grapes, I will not enter into detail for the reason that so 
much depends on local conditions that the suburbanite had better 
consult a local nursery man or fruit grower concerning them. The 
strawberry has the habit of sending their roots straight down, and 
do not spread their feeding roots far on either side of the row. 
This should be remembered when spreading fertilizers. While the 
commercial grower of strawberries requires to cut down the cultural 
expenses to the lowest notch, the suburbanite, having only a limited 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



43 



supply of plants, can afford to spend more time and care over them 
for the sake of prodncing a higher class of fruit. The strawberry 
is a fruit that is very sensitive to good treatment, well repays 
any extra attention given to it. In order to economize space I would 
recommend the suburbanite to plant in rows as an edging to flower 
beds, or vegetable plots, putting the plants one foot apart in the 
rows and keeping all runners religiously cut off ; in this way all the 
strength of the plant goes to the fruit. Should you wish to propa- 
gate extra plants of any particular variety it will be better to have 
a little propagating bed in some out of the way corner; there you 
can plant the varieties in rows two feet apart and 18 inches between 
the plants in the row, keeping the ground mellow and free from 
weeds to encourage the runners to start and root. Another 
matter about the strawberry is that its size and quality is greatly 
influenced by local conditions, so that a variety that succeeds well 
in one place, when grown elsewhere may turn out to be almost worth- 
less, without any fault of the grower or the party who recommends 
it; it will then be wise for parties thinking of growing strawberries 
to find out what varieties do best in their immediate locality and 
not place too much confidence in the roseate descriptions in the fruit 
calatogs, and only test other varieties in a limited manner. At the 
same time the converse of this is also true, and strawberries that 
do not succeed with your neighbor may excel with you. Its attrac- 
tions are so great we must excuse these little individual peculiarities. 




Grape in Pot 
Fig- 45. 



44 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

4 a- 




^3^^ 



Cordon Gooseberries only 9 inches between the plants 

After Le Cornu 

Fig. 44 

This whole business of caring for a dwarf fruit garden, while 
affording the highest pleasure and unalloyed enjoyment, has its cares 
and responsibilities, and although the work is light and easy, it must 
not be neglected, but must be performed just at the right time, and 
in the right manner, from the preparation of the ground to the 
eating of the fruit, for even that most important work must be done 
just at the right time, or when the fruit is mellow and in its best 
condition. In June the necessary summer pruning must not be 
neglected in order to start right; this may mostly be done the first 
year or two with a pocketknife or the finger nail. A pinch here and 
a snip there does the work and leads them in the way they should 
go ; but for every pinch and for every snip you should have a definite 
object in view. First decide what you want, and then stick to that 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



45 



ideal and work to it as near as you can, always keeping in view 
the necessity of encouraging and preserving the fruit spurs and 
securing light and ventilation into the heart of the trees. 

In former times that was prett.y much all there was to be done, 
but of late years the enemies of fruit trees have so increased that 
the erardener who wishes to secure the best results must look out. 










Single Serpentine 

After Dr. Thornton 

Fig. 46 



Special Training for Currants, 
Gooseberry, Grapes, etc. 

Fig- 47 



Fortunatly we have efficient means at our disposal, and careful 
use of them will secure to the grower complete victory over all 
enemies. Do not let the list frighten you. Among the enemies to the 
apple are the codling moth, the tent caterpillar and scale ; these are 
all insects enemies and live by eating the fruit and leaves. There are 
others, such as the woolly aphis and other aphidae, oyster shell bark 
louse, the San Jose scale that live by suction. This is a very im- 
portant difference, as one lot requires one kind of poison, while the 
other requires a different. Thus the biting insects as the codling 



46 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 




^■-l:s:^^^^M 



Fancy Trained "liig Horn" 

After Thornton 

Fig. 48 

moth and tt^nt caterpillar rcfjnirc arsenicals, the suckling insects 
require kerosene emulsion and fumigation. There are germecidal 
enemies, such as apple seal), bi'own rot, etc., that require the Bour- 
deaux mixture or lime and sulphur, or the soluble oils. The pear 
also has its enemies, as the Phytoptis Pyri, a microscopical insect 
that causes a blistered leaf; there is also the pear Physilla, both of 
which may be destroyed by lime and sulphur, or soluble oils. There 
is also the pear slug, which also affects the cherry. The peach suffers 
from the curled leaf, and the yellows also rot. The plums suffer from 
curculie. The gooseberry from milldew, and the currant worm. But 
enough of this long list of enemies, which all require constant watch- 
fulness and war to the knife. Farther on I will treat at length on 
this subject. 

DWARF TREES IN POTS. 



As some of my suburbanite readers may be financially so fixed 
as to be able to afford themselves the luxury of an orchard house, a 
few remarks on that subject may be of interest in this place. The 
orchard house may be an elaborate affair in size, style and finish, or 
it may be a simple lean-to without heating arrangements and costing 
only a few dollars. It is desirable to grow the different fruits in 



OF DWARF P^RUIT TREE CULTURE. 



47 



different houses, but this is not necessary if one wishes to grow a 
variety in one house. Only in that ease the different varieties should 
be kept together "en bloc" for the sake of regulating the ventilation 
to suit each lot. The best form of orchard house is the span roof, 
not less than 18 feet wide and 4 feet 6 inches to the eaves, and 10 




Conference Pear — Photo 
Fig. 49 

feet to the ridge; in length 20 to 50 feet or more; ventilators 18 
inches wide, hinged at the bottom, run along each side of the house, 
one foot below the eaves ; and top ventilators 2 by 3 feet at intervals 
of 5 feet, alternately, on either side of the ridge. The pots must 



48 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

not be stood directly on the ground, but should have some cinders or 
broken crockery placed underneath them to insure drainage. All 
i'ruit trees in pots require to be repotted every year; this may be 
done as soon as the leaves fall in October. The tree is then taken 
out of its pot. and the outer soil raked away with a pronged claw till 
a ball of earth containing the larger roots is left. If the tree is 
liealthy and doing well the soil removed will be full of fibrous root- 
lets. A clean pot of the same size (or one size larger if necessary) 
having a sufficiency of broken crockery to secure proper drainage, 
is partly filled with soil to a height that will bring the tree to the 
same level with the p(U- rim, as it was before. The tree is then placed 
in the pot, held so that the stem is in the middle, and stands vertical, 
whilst the soil is rammed firmly in all around the ball and the pot 
filled up to within an inch of the top of the rim. In potting only a 
little soil should be used at a time and firmly rammed with a stick 
before adding more. The soil should be of good fibrous turfy loam 
three-fourths mixed with one-fourth rotten stable manure; for stone 
fruits, lime in the shape of old mortar, etc., should be added; mix 
some little time before using and do not allow it to get sodden or 
dry. After they have been repotted the trees should be given some 
water and stood close together in the house. In severe weather 
straw should be packed, round and over the pots to keep the frost 
out. Little water need be given the trees in the house during 
November and December. Early in February the trees may be 
pruned and at the end of the month the trees set four feet apart. 
A good smoking with tobacco should be given, and the trunks and 
larger branches brushed with quassia chips wash. If the trees have 
been properly summer pinched, pruning consists in shortening the 
last season's growth to behind the point at which it Avas first pinched. 
Dead wood and that not required to furnish the tree must be cut 
out. In pruning peach and nectarines the shoots must always be cut 
to a wood bud (easily distinguished when the flower buds are round 
find plump and in a triple eye situate between two of these latter). 
If there are no bees to do it. the flowers must be fertilized or 
polenized by hand with a soft brush. Plenty of air must be allowed 
at the flowering stage. "When the fruits are set and the leaves 
growing the house should be kept closer and the .syringe used freely, 
damping down well at night to obtain a moist growing atmosphere. 
Peaches and nectarines push too many growths along their shoots; 
they would be overcrowded if left and must be cut right out. most 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 49 

of the remainder being converted into fruit spurs by pinching out 
the growing point; only the end bud is allowed to extend, or per- 
haps one or two others required to cut back to. When stone fruits 
are beginning to swell they must be cleaned of dead flowers, etc. 
In most cases the fruits must be thinned out. Pears and apples will, 
as a rule, thin themselves out, but peaches, nectarines and apricots 
set too many fruits, all of which would mature if allowed. They must 
have the crop reduced, going over it three times, once when the fruit 
has set, again when it is the size of a nut, and finally after stoning 
is finished. 




BSPAUKB BEARl.N'O FRUIT 

Fig. 50 

After peaches and nectarines have stoned and when apples and 
pears are swelling the trees should be top-dressed and given liquid 
manure diluted with water, about twice a week. A good top- 
dressing is: Equal parts of horse droppings and loam mixed to- 
gether, spread out into a bed about a foot deep, and saturate with 
water. This is ready for use the day after it is made. The mixture 
is placed on the surface of the soil, about two inches deep near the 
pot rim and sloping towards the stem of the tree ; renew when the 
fruit is coloring. Summer pinching controls the growth of the trees. 
When a shoot has made about six inches of growth the tip should be 
pinched off ; the leading shoot of a pyramid may be allowed to extend 
rather more. The top shoots of a tree (always the most vigorous) 
are pinched first ; this keeps them from taking the lead and keeping it. 

Insects must never be allowed to get the upper hand. Aphides 
are killed by fumigation, directly they are noticed. Red spider 
thrives in dry heat and is kept down by syringing, forcibly wetting 



50 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK ' 

the underside of the leaves and by dampennig so as to get a moist 
atmosphere. Syringing must be discontinued when the fruit is ap- 
proaching maturity. A single four-inch pipe running around the 
house enables one to keep the frost o ' when the trees are in flower. 
In case of a cheap orchard house being-decided on, without a regular 
furnace and piping for artificial heating, the frost can be econom- 
ically kept out by one of these blue flame kerosene wickless stoves. 

I*ears in pots form a most useful and satisfactory addition to 
the fruit garden. The method is simple and certain ; an orchard 
house without artificial heat (either lean-to or span-roof) will shelter 
the trees until all danger from spring frosts is past. The weather 
by the end of May, or first part of June, is generally mild enough 
to enable the grower to put his trees out of doors; after this opera- 
tion a sufficient supply of water and occasional surface dressing of 
manure or manure water will insure the production of fine fruit. 
For the first two or three years of cultivation 13 or 15-inch pots will 
be large enough ; in the autumn, after the fruit is gathered, the trees 
should be repotted in the same pots and fresh soil added. The trees 
should then be either replaced in the house for the winter or plunged 
out of doors, protected against severe frost by covering the surface 
of the ground with mulch. If replaced in the house trees should be 
also protected during severe frost by a thick covering of straw 
around and over the pots. At the time of repotting any of the 
straggling roots should be })raned. When selecting a site for a fruit 
house for shelt(^r it is advisable for the easy removal of the trees 
to select a spot with sufficient room to have a summer border in a 
line with the house. Another method is to grow the trees in per- 
forated pots (see cut). 

The border in whicli tliey are plunged should be of good soil, 
mixed with a large proportion of rotted manure, into which the 
trees will root annually. As a rule the rotten manure should be 
renewed when the trees are repotted, and at the time of plunging 
the soil should be stirred as deep as the pots are plunged. When 
plunging the pots place a handful of potsherds or gravel under the 
pot in order that the drainage may be rapid and effectual. When 
taking up these perforated pots in the fall do not forget to cut off 
the fibrous roots protruding through the pots. 

The above system answers equally well for plums and apples. 
The return is constant and certain, and with plums the fruit bearing 
season is considerably prolonged as the slight advantage given by 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 51 

the shelter in the spring advances the maturity by fully ten days. 
This result has been repeatedly proven. 

ROOT PRUNING. 

f 

Root pruninij; is a manipulation little practiced in this country, 
and very little understood by the horticulturist, but in dwarf tree 
culture it is frequently absolutely necessary as the only available 
means of checking: a too rampant growth. The important point in 
dwarf tree culture is keeping the root system completely under con- 
trol, and changing from the natural wide and deep stretching roots 
of the ordinary apple tree to a close mass of fibrous feeding roots. 
Our first effort in effecting this change is the grafting of the free 
growing cion on some of the natural dwarfing stock, as before 
mentioned. Sometimes, owing to extra fertility of the soil, or other 
natural cause, the little tree refuses to be controlled and becomes 
rebellious and starts into a too rampant growth that would upset 
all our expectations and utterly spoil our work, consequently we are 
compelled to use heroic measure, Avhich is. in fact, "striking at the 
I'o'ot of the trouble." When we first find our little tree obstreperous 
we give it the first lesson by curtailing its tap root, this is accom- 
plished by forcing a sharp spade obliquely under the roots until the 
tap root is severed. If that lesson is not effectual, we administer the 
next dose the next season by forcing a sharp spade perpendicularly 
into the ground at varying distances from the tree, according to its 
size, and dig in a circle HALF WAY AROUND THE TREE, not 
turning the soil, but merely cutting the superficial roots. The next 
year repeat the dose half way around the other side of the tree. 
Sometimes we dig up the tree entirely, trim the roots and return it 
back to where it had been growing; this is best done in the fall or 
winter, and does not interfere ^^^th the fruiting the next season. 
Root pruning is hardly ever necessary in potted trees farther than 
trimming them if necessary at the annual repotting, as by changing 
them from smaller to larger pots, as occasion requires ; we have the 
roots entirely under control. The result of all this severe treat- 
ment is that our little tree accepts the correction and abandon s its 
evil way and goes to work bearing still more and more beautiful 
fruit, thus illustrating the wisdom of Solomon in "training the 
child in the way he should go." 

The new course is a very important and interesting phase of 
dwarf fruit culture, embracing hvbridization and cross fertilization. 



52 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

a work particularly adapted to these trees for the reason of their 
coming into fruit so speedily, consequently by budding the product 
of our cross fertilization we will be able to produce fruit in two 
years, and judge of the success and value of our work, while imder 
ordinary conditions we are compelled to wait several years before 
we can obtain results. 

Hybridization and cross fertilization consists of removing the 
polen from the stamen of one flower and placing it on the pistil 
of another blossom of the same species but different variety, and we 
take the seeds of the fruit produced by that cross and plant them ; 
the trees that fruit will produce will bear fruit altogether dif- 
ferent from either of the original parent's product, and may or may 
not produce a continuation of the qualities of both. They may be 
better or worse than either or both their parents, larger or smaller, 
handsomer or less attractive, and at all events a new creation, due to 
your skill and enterprise. Having procured after careful nursing a 
tree of this hybridized stock, we are naturally anxious to know what 
it amounts to, but it would take years waiting till that tree naturally 
bore fruit, which might after all be worthless; or again, a really 
valuable improvement upon any former product. In the one case 
you would dig it up and throw it away, or in the other, propogate it 
to the limit and perhaps make a fortune out of it. All our valuable 
fruits have been obtained in this way and the originators have been 
paid large sums of money for the new variety. An instance of this 
come to mind in the case of the celebrated Fay's Prolific Red Cur- 
rant. Mr. Fay developed this currant by hybridization, and it was 
so superior to other red currants that Mr. Joslyn, a nursery man, 
took it in hand and paid Mr. Fay some $14,000 in royalties for it. 
I give this from memory and may be subject to some correction. 
Anyhow, a large amount of money was realized by the originator. 
Now then, we have got a new variety of fruit tree raised and are, 
of course, desirous to know what it will amount to, so we take a 
bud from it, when the sap is flowing freely, and insert it into one of 
the dwarf trees and cause it to develop into a fruit spur, and the 
next season it will bear new fruit. 

The whole process is very simple and interesting and anybody 
who has a love for flowers can practice the art successfully, for all 
flowers are subject to the same rule. It was in this way the cele- 
brated Mrs. Lawson carnation was produced, for which Mr. Lawson 
paid $30,000. 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



53 




• stt 



Strawberry Blossom 

Perfect and Pistilate 

A Male. B Female 

51 




Pistil 

"Female Organ" 

JPig- 52 



As there are many little details to be observed it may be well 
to give a cursory sketch of the natural fertilization of flowers. The 
flower, as every one is aware, is the foundation of the fruit or seed 
and consist of organs for fertilization. Th stamen is the male organ 
and produces the polen, which is the fertilizing ingredient. The 
pistil is the female organ, and at a certain state of its development 
becomes receptive for the polen, and unless that polen comes in con- 
tact with the pistil just at that time there can be no fertile seed pro- 
duced. Now we have perfect and imperfect flowers, or uni-sexual 
and bisexual; in some cases, as the strawberry, we have both per- 
fect and imperfect. The perfect plant has both stamens and pistils ; 
the imperfect plant has no stamens, and consequently bears no fruit, 
unless a staminate plant is growing near it, and the bees and other 
insects or wind carry the polen from one place to the other. Corn 
and all nuts have two classes of flowers on the same plant, but dif- 
ferently located. The tassels on the top of the plant of corn are the 
male flowers, while the silk is the pistil, and at the receptive period 
the polen is shaken off by the wind and drops on the receptive silk, 
and the kernel is produced. Now when this polen falls on the re- 
ceptive pistil it is carried down to the ovary and the pistil then with- 
ers away and the seed is developed in due course. 

In hybridization and cross fertilizing the following conditions 
must be observed: 



54 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

First — The Hower must be prevented from fertilizing its own 
pistil. This is done by clipping off with a fine curved scissors (a 
manicure or embroidery scissors will answer) all the stamens and 
corolla, leaving only the pistil standing. This is called emasculating 
the Hower. 

Second — j\Ieans must be taken to prevent fertilization by insects 
or the wind. This is accomplished by "bagging"— enclosing the 
pistil after the stamens have been removed in a little bag of tissue 
paper, closely tied to the branch (or stalk of flower) on which 
the Hower is growing, so that no insects can get inside the paper 
bags to feerilize the pistil. 

Third — When the pistil becomes receptive a slight moisture 
forms on the top of the pistil (called the stigma), and a watch for 
that condition must be kept (this generally occurs in the bright warm 
forenoon) ; when this is observed a staminate flower from which the 
polen is to be taken is picked and brought conveniently near the 
emasculated flower that is to be fertilized. This staminate flower must 
be in about the same stage of development as the flower to be fer- 
tilized. Anyway, it must show the polen in a powdery state on the 
stamens. Then dust the polen on the mioist stigma of the pistil either 
direct from the flower or with a soft camels hair brush ; replace the 
tissue paper capsule for a couple of days and the work is done. 
After the pistil withers there is no further danger of objectionable 
fertilization, and the tissue paper bag may be removed. It is well to 
treat several flowers in the same way at the same time to avoid the risk 
of failure. Next tie a label to the branch that the flower is on, to 
enable you to identify the fruit later on and make a record of the 
names of each as to sex. This is generally done by naming the female 
flower first and the male after, thus (Gravenstein and Baldwin). 
It must be remembered that the result of hybridization will show no 
dift'erence from the other fruit on the tree, at least not necessarily. 
It is the seed of that fruit that is altered by the process and the 
PRODUCT OF THAT SEED will be more or less changed. You 
must therefore be careful not to permit any one to pick or meddle 
with the inoculated fruit, or your labor will be lost. Most of those 
hybridized seeds should be planted in moist sand, not kept wet, but 
not allowed to dry out. Apples, pears, strawberries, mushy small 
fruit, and hardy stone fruit are generally treated by "stratification," 
that is, placing them in layers in a box of moist sand, with a cover 
that will exclude the mice (for mice will find and eat every one of 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 55 

them if they can get at them). They are then placed where the frost 
WILL GET AT THEM iu the winter and may freeze them solid. In 
the spring they are taken up and planted in a border where they 
will sprout right away. 

I would strongly urge flower-loving ladies to practice the art. 
They will soon become expert, and the enjoyment will be unexcelled. 
They can practice upon their house flowers. The fuscia, for instance, 
is of a very simple formation and well adapted to practice on ; also 
the tulip and gladiolus, and lily; afterwards they can try some more 
comphcated flowers. The same general principles apply to all. The 
Salvia Splendens and Salvia Patens have a great promise, the Salvia 
Patens being the finest blue in the floral world and the Splendens, 
with its unmatched brilliancy, I believe, have not yet been tested in 
this way and promise great results. 

Nature has many varied and interesting methods of cross fer- 
tilizing flowers; some by the action of the wind and gravitation, as 
in the corn plant, the staminate flower being produced at the top of 
the plant and the pistilate lower down. When the polen is ripe it falls 
in a shower on the receptive pistils (the silk). It is also blown about 
by the wind, so that different varieties of corn planted near each 
other get "mixed" and the seed will not produce the true type of 
that originally sown. The cucurbits (or melon, cucumbers, squash, 
etc.) have the same tendency to "mix" or become cross polenized, 
they having the staminate and pistilate blossoms on the same plant, 
but separate from another, and in this case the staminate flowers 
vastly outnumber the pistilate. On the other hand, the holly has 
the two classes of flowers on different trees, and the tree will not 
bear its beautiful scarlet berries unless it has perfect flowers or has 
a staminate flowered tree in its vicinity. Some plants (such as the 
sweet pea and others of the same family) fertilize themselves before 
the flower opens, and consequently do not get "mixed," if growing 
close together. This is important to the hybridizer, as showing the 
necessity of emasculating the flower to be hybridized before they 
fully open to prevent self fertilization. Again, some fruit have not 
the power of self fertilization, as the Bartlett and Beurre d'Anjou 
pear. A remarkable illustration of this peculiarity occurred some 
years ago in Oregon, near Salem, where a gentleman came into 
possession of 160 acres and began to cast about what to do with it. 
At that time Oregon apples and pears had a high reputation on the 
Pacific Coast, and he interviewed some of his neighbors who had 



56 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

commercial orchards, and they advised him NOT to have many 
varieties, but have enough of one variety to produce carload lots of 
fruit of a kind. This was good, sound advice, as far as it went. Our 
friend studied over the matter and found that most of the orchards 
were chiefly given over to apple culture. He also found that not 
very many pears were grown in his vicinity, and that pears fetched 
a higher price in the market than apples, and that the Bartlett pear 
always stood at the head of the market. As he had plenty of money 
to enable him to indulge his own desires, he decided to plant his 160 
acres with a solid block of Bartlett pears. Consequently he gave a 
contract to a local nursery man to furnish and plant 5,500 Bartlett 
pears, which was accomplished in first-class style. It was a picture 
to see those trees growing in rows half a mile long and as straight 
as a line could make them. The gentleman took the greatest pride 
in his pear orchard, keeping it well cultivated, not allowing a weed 
to grow on the whole quarter section, and waited for the time for 
fruitage to come. But alas, no fruit came, and, unlike the House of 
Israel, described by the prophet as a vineyard that brought forth 
wild grapes, this pear orchard did not even bring forth wild pears, 
but was utterly barren and unproductive. He now thought it well 
to see what the Agricultural college men had to say about it, which 
he should have done before he started in. The first question asked 
by the professor was : "Were there only Bartlett pears in the block?" 
"Yes, only Bartlett pears, and they were always so thrifty." "There 
was your error. The Bartlett pear is not self fertile and requires 
other varieties planted in close proximity to fertilize the flowers." 
Consequently he had to dig up or graft over a large number of the 
trees and plant other varieties. 

The fig is an example of a very interesting peculiarity in fer- 
tilization. There are three classes of fig trees, the Capri (or wild fig), 
growing in Symra ; the fruit bearing fig, growing also in Smyrna, 
and the Adriatic. There is a peculiar kind of wasp that breeds in 
the Capri or wild fig, and unless those Capril figs at the proper sea- 
son are removed and hung up in the Smyrna fig tree it will not be fer- 
tilized. The Adriatic fig, not having any Capril figs near, cannot 
be fertilized and only produce an inferior class of figs, but its seed 
is non-productive. The flowers of the fig are inside the fruit, and 
to be fertilized the wasp crawls in and fertilizes them ; consequently 
the best figs in the market are (or rather have been) the Smyrna 
fig. In California in the early days the mission padres imported the 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



51 



inferior Adriatic figs. Of late years, however, the Capri fig and its 
little wasp has been introduced into that state, and now the produc- 
tion of the true Smyrna fig is an accomplished fact in California. 
The California Smyrna fig outranks the imported variety. 

GRAFTING AND BUDDING. 

The necessity of testing the result of our hybridizing as soon as 
possible leads up to the subject of grafting and budding, which every 
horticulturist should understand and be able to practice. I will 
now describe the "modus operandi" thereof. 




Cleft Grafting Cion for Grafting 

Fig. 53 Fig- 54 

Grafting and budding are modifications of the same process and 
have the same object in view, that is. to reproduce a variety of fruit 
or flower from the bud of one already in existence. Grafting 
is of several varieties, such as root grafting, crown grafting, whip 
grafting, wedge or cleft grafting and shield grafting. For sub- 
urbanite's use, however, the cleft and whip grafting are the only 
varieties likely to be practiced. Root grafting is done in the winter, 
and may be done in the house and by the fireside and packed in a 
box of moist earth and kept in the cellar or buried till the spring 
and then planted in the nursery. In the case of the apple, 
pieces of apple roots, about four to six inches long and about the 
thickness of a lead pencil, are secured as a stock, and cions of the 
same thickness are grafted in the same manner as whip grafting, 
which will be described further on. It is chiefly used by nurserymen 
for propogating large quantities of nursery stock during the dormant 



58 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



season, when other work is not so pressing, and several pieces of root 
may be taken from the same tree. While crown grafting requires a 
whole root for one graft and is intended to be set below the 
ground where the cion will throw out roots of its own in addition to 
the original root it is grafted into. The cleft grafting is done in the 
spring, when the sap begins to flow in the stock, the cions having 
been cut in the dormant season and stuck in a box of moist soil in 
the cellar, or are simply stuck in the ground at pruning time, 
preferably in the shelter of a north wall, the object being to keep 
I hem back from sprouting till after the stock has fairly started. 
The stock is cut off with a sharp pruning knife or shears, and taking 
a sharp chisel and malet the stock is split sufficiently to allow the 




Whip Grafting 
Fig. 55 

cion, after it has been cut sloping or wedge shaped, to be inserted 
into the cleft in the stock, taking care that the cut edges of the 
shaved cion are accurately adjusted to the edge of the bark in the 
stock. Generally, the split stock will hold the cion sufficiently secure 
without tying. The whole point of union is filled up and covered 
with grafting wax to protect the recently cut portions from exposure 
to wind, water or sunshine (see cuts illustrating this subject). Some- 
times it is convenient to bind up the joint with waxed string, de- 
scribed further on. Whip grafting is used for small branches or 
young seedlings, where the cion should be of about the same diameter 
as the stock. Both are cut slanting, and with a harp knife a split is 
cut downward in tlie stock, commencing at the middle point of the 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 59 

sloping cut ; a similar split is made upwards in the cion, and both 
are locked in each other, as shown in cut, taking care to have the 
inner line of bark of each in accurate adjustment at least on one side. 
The whole length of the joint is bound tightly with waxed string, 
the cion, with only one sound bud, projecting above the waxed 
wrapping. In the cleft grafting it is well to put in two cions, one 
on each side, and after they have fairly started to grow, one shoot 
can be cut off, leaving only one to obtain all the sap and strengthen 
its growth. 

The great advantage of grafting as compared with budding con- 
sists in the fact that if from any cause the graft fails to grow, being 
done in the early spring, one can bud the same stock in the summer 
and save the loss of a whole season. The stone fruits are generally 
better adapted to budding. Both grafting and budding are equally 
adapted to floral work as to fruits. 

The operation of budding, although for the same purpose as 
grafting, is distinctly different in the modus operandi. In the first 
place, it is performed in summer when the sap is in full flow and 
when the bark will lift freely from the wood, both of the stock and 
bud stick. The process is simple, however, and is specially useful 
in training dwarf trees to secure uniformity and a balance of 
growth. For instance, in training Palmetto forms and other 
fancy shapes we are often hindered by side shoots not starting 
where we desire them, insomuch that the nursery man or private 
cultivator will start to make his tree of a particular form, when the 
willful little thing takes the notion to follow its own sweet will, 
regardless of consequences, and it becomes less trouble to give way 
and let it take its own natural form than to fight it out ; nevertheless 
by budding we can enforce the growth of a shoot just where we 
desire it to be. This will be apparent from the cuts. Sometimes in 
growing cordons the stems fail to furnish sufficiently with fruit 
spurs and we can then put in one or more buds in any position along 
its stem. 

Having selected a suitable stock for budding, it is necessary 
to procure sufficient plump buds; these are generally taken of the 
new or current season's growth by cutting off a shoot with several 
buds upon it; this is called a "bud stick." Of course only one bud 
is used in a place, but as many may be inserted as we find suitable 
room for. We now select a smooth spot in the bark of young wood 
and cut a T down to the cambrium or sap wood, lift the bark on 



60 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

both sides of the upright cut, then we take the "bud stick" and 
selecting a plump bud, make a horizontal incision about one-eighth 
of an inch above the top of the bud, then turning the bud stick with 
its top pointing downwards, make a cut beginning one-fourth to 
one-half inch below the base of the bud and cut upwards and deeper 
than the bud, until the cut meets the horizontal cut already made 
and a little shield is separated with a square top and the bud in 
the center. Sometimes we will find a little spicula of wood still ad- 
herent to the back of the bud with a little "nipple" of soft wood 
entering the base of the bud. By inserting the point of a knife 
under the lower end of this wood it is easily lifted free from the 
bark; some times it will stick pretty firmly. It is a mooted 
question whether it is best to remove it; some do, which 
is the English system, and again some do not, which is the Ameri- 
can. As far as my experience teaches I do not think it matters 
very materially. If I can remove it without injury to the bark of 
the bud, and it lifts easily, I generally take it away ; if not, I leave 
it in its natural position and I find no great difference in the result. 
We now have a little shield of bark, with an uninjured bud thereon, 
and we lift up the flaps of loosened bark on the stock and slip the bark 
with the bud on under the loosened bark, being careful to adjust the 
upper end of the bark shield accurately to the horizontal cut on the 
.stock. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Then tie the bark tightly, both 
above and below the bud, with a soft string, no grafting wax being 
necessary. It is well if possible to have the stem of the leaf attached 
to the bud, only clipping off the expanded part, as it will assist in 
handling the bud and by its condition in a few days will show 
whether the bud has "taken" or not. We now leave the bud alone 
tor a week or ten days, when the string must be loosened or entirely 
removed. 

"The reason why" will give an intelligent idea of the process. 
In grafting the work is done in the spring and the graft grows and 
is nourished by the ASCENDING SAP. While in budding the 
work being done in summer, the new bud remains dormant, but is 
nourished by the DESCENDING SAP that is elaborated in the leaves 
as it flows downward to nourish the roots. The sap flowing between 
the "cambrium" (or sap wood) and the inside of the bark shows 
the necessity of having the inner bark of both stock and cion 
accurately adjusted to facilitate the flow of sap from one to the 
other. A careful study of the accompanying cuts will better eluci- 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 61 

date this branch of my subject than pages of letter press, and here 
I would recommend to my readers to take advantage of any oppor- 
tunity they may have to get someone knowing how to show them 
the manipulation of the process. One practical example will be 
ample instruction, and success will be the result of practice and 
painstaking. 

GRAFTING WAX is made after many formula, but one of the 
best is: Take of tallow 1 oz., bees' wax 2 oz., rosin 4 oz. ; melt all 
together into a uniform fluid condition bj^ stirring and pour into 
cold water; when cool enough to handle, having first greased your 
hands, pull it as if pulling candy until it attains a straw color and 
roll into convenient stick, when it will harden, and keep in a cool 
place. When requiring to use it, again grease your hands and work 
it up until sufificiently softened, and press it with your fingers 
close around and filling all crevices about the point of junction of 
stock and cion, from which it need not be removed as it will grad- 
ually wear away as the tree grows. 

GRAFTING CLOTH is more convenient in many ways and is 
made by tearing strips about one inch wide of any old materials at 
hand, similar to rags used for making a rag carpet. These strips, 
however, need not be sown together, but rolled as tape or a bandage 
is rolled, the end of one piece simply overlapping the other. When 
the roll is sufficient size for handling, one and one-half to two 
inches in diameter, the free end of the last strip is tied loosely on the 
roll with a thread to prevent unrolling, and is thrown into a vessel 
of hot melted grafting wax, where, by stirring it round and squeezing 
it with a stick, it will become saturated with the hot wax and may 
be taken after squeezing out excess of wax and laid aside to cool. 
When required for use sufficient of the strip of waxed cloth is un- 
rolled and wound around the graft in a spiral manner, each turn 
overlapping the previous one-half or one-quarter inch, whan the 
union will take place underneath. As the branch or graft grows, 
if it shows any sign of contraction or swelling above or below the 
wrapping it must be slackened sufficiently to prevent strangulation. 
The importance to the suburbanite of a knowledge of budding and 
grafting will be seen from an examination of the various forms of 
training dwarf trees shown in the cuts. Much of the beauty of 
those trained trees depends upon the success gained in securing 
uniformity and balance in the product, especially in the Palmetto 
and Vernier forms. If we fail to secure shoots for frame of tree 



62 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



exactly where desired, the tree will become lop-sided and ungrace- 
ful, and as sometimes these trees fail to put out shoots exactly in 
balance we can secure uniformity by inserting one or more buds 
just where required, and thus "save its face," which, without the 
knowledge of grafting and budding, we would be compelled to rele- 
gate the specimen to the less attractive form of the ordinary bush 
in a "happy go lucky" or "hit or miss" style. Again, in case of fail- 
ure from any cause of one of these trees to furnish fruit spurs along 
the stem and leaving irregular bare spots unfurnished, we can amend 
the fault by budding where required. 





Bush tree 4 years' old 

"Cox's Orange Pippin 

Fig- 56 



Pyrimid in October 

From Photo 

Fig. 57 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 63 

DWARF FRUIT TREES FROM A COMMERCIAL FRUIT GROW- 
ER'S POINT OF VIEW. 

While the adaptability of dwarf fruit trees to the suburbanite's 
requirements is now an established fact, its applicability to the con- 
ditions of the commercial orchardist is still open to controversy and 
worthy of consideration. While the suburbanite may have little or 
no experience, the commercial orchardist knows just what he wants 
and can form as sound an opinion for himself and is just as capable 
of weighing arguments that I submit as I am. For a numbers of 
years I have been a commercial orchardist and have fought the 
fruit pests in every available manner. I remember long ago, before 
fruit pests had become so multiplied and spraying was invented, 
that we grew fine fruit with little difficulty. We had, of course, 
the codling moth and the cureulio and a host of other fruit pests, 
but nothing to compare with the present condition of things, and 
there seems to be little show of improvement with all our advanced 
knowledge and extra work. What we want is to be able to reduce 
the amount of work and make what is absolutely necessary easier. 
We require to reduce the size of our trees to reduce the labor of 
thinning, spraying, picking, lessen the number of windfalls, increase 
the yield of fruit, and. above all, improve the quality and beauty 
of our fruit, and early bearing of the trees, and thereby increase 
the prices and profits of our orchards. All these objects may be 
attained by the intelligent adoption into our system of orchard man- 
agement of the use of dwarf fruit trees. 

It has been demonstrated beyond question that the dwarfing 
of fruit trees has the effect of increasing the prolificacy and early 
bearing as well as the size, beauty and quality of the fruit. It has 
been found that these apple trees dwarfed on Paradise stock will 
begin to bear the second year from the bud, sometimes even the 
first year, and by the fourth, will frequently bear one bushel or 
more of choice apples. It must be remembered that these little trees 
may be planted only four feet apart, and under some circumstances 
even less ; they may be taken up and moved from place to place, 
and from time to time, without interrupting their fruit bearing. The 
following is a report of an experiment in growing apples dwarfed 
on Paradise stock to establish their yield in England : 

Apple tree planted (a Warner's King). 

1871— Planted a ''maiden" tree. 



64 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



1872 — Bore three apples, first year. 

1878 — Bore 1^/1> peck, second year. 

1874 — Bore 2 peck, third year. 

1875 — Bore 4 peck (1 bushel), fourth year. 

1876 — Bore 6 peck (IV-i bushels), fifth year. 

1877 — Bore 7 peck (1% bushels), sixth year. 

Total in first six years 201/2 peck (5 bushels). 

Now in view of these figures let us make a comparison between 
one standard apple tree and a block of Paradise dwarfs, occupying 
the same space. We will say a standard apple tree (to do its best 
work) should be planted 40 feet apart, that is requiring 1,600 square 
feet or 27 trees to the acre, while the I'aradise trees are 2, 3, 4, 6 or 9 
feet apart, according to the style adopted. Let us take as a basis 




* # # *' 



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1 — 



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'Stanaard 



I 



^ -» * 



^ ^ % "^ 



* # * 



Standard Apple Trees planted 40 feet apart require 1600 feet area and be- 
gin to bear in 6 or 8 years. While 64 Bush Trees may be planted on same 
1600 feet and begin bearing the 2d year from planting. After Thornton. 

Fig. 58 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 65 

for comparison, Paradise trees at -i feet apart. That is, the standard 
apple trees occupies a space of 1.600 square feet and the Paradise 16 
feet. Or. theoretically, 100 Paradise trees will fit on the same area 
of ground as one standard apple tree ; this is, however, impracticable, 
as roadways must be provided for attending to the trees properly 
(see cut) . We will therefore be reasonable and plant four rows four 
feet apart on each side of an eight-foot roadway, making 40 feet 
each row would then contain eight trees, making 64 trees for the 
block of 40 feet square and leaving an eight-foot roadway through 
the middle of the plot; this would be equal to 1.628 trees to the acre, 
not counting fractions, Avith proportionate roadway space. A little 
practical figuring upon the basis of the foregoing table of the actual 
yield of these little trees will give some startling results. We find 
that one of these bush trees yielded in six years over five bushels 
of apples, or 320 bushels from the trees occupying the space of one 
standard apple tree THAT HAD NOT YET REACHED THE 
BEARING AGE; consequently as only 27 apple trees, at 40 feet 
apart, fit on one acre, 8,640 bushels of apples could be produced 
from one acre (not counting fractions) of dwarf apple trees in six 
years from planting and BEFORE ONE ACRE OF STANDARDS 
PLANTED AT THE SAME TIME HAD COME INTO BEARING. 
These dwarf trees would continue bearing increasing quantities of 
fruit for 15 or 20 years longer, when the orchardist could well afford 
to dig them up and plant fresh. The generality of standard apple 
trees require five or six years to BEGIN bearing; the bush, on the 
contrary, beginning to bear the second year and steadily increasing 
its crop till 10 years old and continuing to yield steadily maximum 
crops till 20 or 25 years old. On the other hand the standard tree 
may be expected to gradually increase till from 15 to 20 years it 
will yield about three barrels (nine bushels) per tree per year; from 
this time until the trees begin to fail from old age, the annual yield 
will be under 15 bushels. These are average figures for well cared- 
for trees, and allowing for off years, poor years, and poor trees, or 
badly pruned or moss-bound trees, will not do so well. The standard 
tree will bear for 50 years, and it will average for good and bad 
years 10 bushels a year, or 500 bushels in all. This, I think, is a 
liberal estimate for one standard tree on 40 feet square of land. 
Compare the above with the Paradise apple, or, rather, 64 of them, 
for that number of trees may be grown on the same area of land as 
one standard tree. One dwarf Paradise apple bush, as we have seen, 



66 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

will bear at an average li/^ bushels a year, or 31i/l> bushels, which 
multiplied by 64 (the number of trees on the 40 feet square allowed 
for the standard tree) will give 2,400 bushels. Allow mar- 
gins to suit yourself. Of course we will have the same 
standard tree bearing for another 25 years, but we will 
only have to wait for four years to plant another lot of 64 trees, 
and have them eateh up and pass the old standard and repeat the 
experience which we can very well afford to do. But this is not all, 
for it must be remembered that the dwarf apples are superior in 
size, beauty, (juality and selling price to those grown on standard 
trees, and every apple on these little bushes is within reach of one's 
hand from the ground and may be thinned without difficulty ; there 
are no windfalls to amount to anything; the work of spraying is re- 
duced to a minimum. You all know what a tiresome job it is gazing 
up to the sky looking for tent caterpillars' eggs on a 40-foot tree, 
while the same is only pastime on those small bushes. No packing of 
awkward ladders in pruning time, or climbing trees in picking time. 
Of course 64 trees require more attention than one and cost more for 
a start, but the work is light in character and such as any boy, girl 
or woman can do, and most of it a real pleasure. Anyhow, who 
would l)egrudge the work w^hen the returns are so liberal. In the 
above comparison my remarks referred to the dwarf apple in the 
bush form, and as protital)le even as it shows up with bushes at four 
leet apart or occupying 16 s(juare feet each, how much better results 
luay be expected if we use cordons either upright or oblique or 
U form, which may be planted in rows four to six feet apart 
and only two feet apart in the row, occupying eight to twelve 
feet in area, and yet are individually as productive as the 
bushes — or nearly so. In this case, instead of 64 trees 
occupying the area of one standard tree, we would have 96 ; 
or instead of 1.628 bush trees per acre, we would have 4,224 oblique 
or upright cordons. These figures may be astounding, but no more 
than if we compare the old stage coach with railway trains of the 
present day, or comparing the old-fashioned plough with the up-to- 
date steam plough, or the reaping hook with our best harvesters. 
Our little dwarf fruit trees offer the same gigantic stride in advance 
in the horticultural field, combined with intensive culture. Nor is 
there anything visionary in the statements, as they are established 
facts, though not yet exploited to the same degree, but will be in 
the near future, when we secure the irresistable combination of grit. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 67 

money and knowledge duly harnessed. Of course intensive develop- 
ment of the dwarf fruit tree idea is more costly both to start in the 
outset and in its subsequent exploitation than the ordinary commer- 
cial orchard, but in view of the enormously increased returns of 
profit this condition cuts no figure as all advances in industrial lines 
are subject to the same condition. There is, however, in this horti- 
cultural advance the great advantage that it works as well on the 
limited area of the 40 feet square, or the acre, as it does on the 100 
acres, being merely a question of capital. The labor question which 
has been a bugbear to the horticulturist, may be worth consideration, 
but is by no means difficult to any one who bases his every day 
business on the golden rule. The increase of labor required under 
this system is really very insignificant as compared with the returns, 
and will follow the industrial experience in other lines of industry. 
The present supply of labor is inadequate because the pay and treat- 
ment of labor is unsatisfactory to the laborer. When the typesetter 
was introduced, many worthless or indifferent printers lost their job, 
but the better class were promoted to the machines with better pay. 
So with other industries, but great adverse influences existed. The 
captains of industry put up the prices to "all the traffic would 
bear," while they cut the w^ages to all the laborer would bear; on 
the other hand, the trades union is started in "to kill the goose that 
laid the golden eggs" by restrictive regulations, etc., both parties 
being antagonistic to the golden rule. Under present conditions the 
margin of profit to the orchardist is so narrow and the supply of 
RELIABLE LABOR so scanty, the question, How to help matters? 
is pressing, the answer will be found in adopting the dwarf fruit tree 
culture, which will enable us to so materially improve the workman's 
condition, that he will so speak, quit the union and "paddle his own 
canoe." In this connection the story of the Westinghouse Com- 
pany's experience in England is very instructive. The "Westing- 
house Company is a celebrated American firm of world-wide reputa- 
tion. They had occasion to establish a gigantic factory in England, 
one requiring the use of several million bricks in its construction. 
At the start they found themselves "up against" the builders' 
trade union, who would not permit their bricklayers to lay more 
than 400 bricks in one day. The Westinghouse Company with Amer- 
ican strenuosity nevertheless started the work, not only giving 
higher w^ages than other builders were giving, but added premiums 
and bonuses in accordance with the quality of the work performed, 



68 THE SUBURBANTIE'S HANDBOOK 

giving the shirkers and hiefficient men immediate discharge. The 
result was, as might have been expected, the union tried bluffing 
and boycott, but it would not work, and the men finding they were 
treated with strict justice and liberality, ignored the union. Good 
men were favored and drones hunted ; walking delegates were not 
admitted to the works ; the good men put in their best work, and 
from laying only 400 bricks a day, as at the start, soon achieved the 
laying of 900 bricks per day as the ordinary day's work. Let us 
see now in what position the commercial orchardist stands to meet 
the labor question, depending entirely on standard trees or substitut- 
ing in whole or in part the dwarf trees. We have seen that a stand- 
ard apple tree will average for 50 years 10 bushels a year, and the 
cash returns will be less than an average of 50 cents a bushel, or $4 
per tree; 27 trees to the acre gives $108 per acre. With dwarf trees 
we have 64 bushes or 96 cordons on 40 feet square of land that will 
yield for 25 years an average of 96 to 144 bushels per year from 
the same 40 feet sfiuare of land. While the standard apples averaged 
40 cents a bushel, these dwarf apples, being so much superior in 
appearance and (juality will reach an average of $1.50 or more per 
bushel, consequently will return $144 to $216 per 40 feet square, or 
multiplied by 27. will net $3,888 to $5,892 per acre. Again strike 
your own margin. With such a showing we could afford to give 
our workmen a rate of wages beyond their wildest imagination, and 
steal the labor union's thunder. The very best of men would be 
tumbling over one another in competition to secure such employment, 
and when they were lucky enough to obtain it would shrink from no 
effort to retain it permanently. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



69 



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Couimerciai Orchaid. 
ft. apart 



One acre vni'lu 40 siaudan-i .^p^jic Trees 33 
and 486 Bush Trees as fillers 

Fig. 59 



70 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

Fig. 59 shows another style of orchard planting, where dwarf 
trees are used as "fillers" in COMBINATION WITH standards. 
In this place standard apple trees are planted two rods apart (33 
feet), which allows 40 standards to the acre, and in ADDITION 480 
dwarfs on Paradise stock are planted eight feet apart, as shown. In 
this plan each 33 feet square is supposed to be divided into quarters 
and three dwarfs planted in each square, omitting the corner next to 
the standard, leaving them without a dwarf. On this place no roads 
are repaired as the trees are eight feet apart, which allows carts and 
sprayers to be freely moved anywhere among the trees. 

Now just here comes the progressive American with iconoclastic 
tendencies (that is me), and looking over the plan, says: "What is 
the good of these standard trees, anyhow? Why not dig them out 
and fill their places with 160 additional dwarfs, making 640 trees to 
the acre?" By so doing we will be changing the dwarf system from 
a "COxMBINATION AS FILLERS" into a "DIRECT COMPETI- 
TION" witli the standard plantation. The standards are a nuisance 
anyway, re(iuiring intolerable labor and cost for pruning, spraying, 
pest fighting, thinning and harvesting the fruit, not to mention the 
waste from windfalls, overbearing and the impossibility of complete 
protection from infectious diseases and insect enemies, as well as the 
long years of delay in waiting for them to reach a profitable stage 
of production and the lower grade in size, quality, beauty and 
market value of the fruit produced, as compared with the dwarf 
trees. These latter have practically no loss of fruit from windfalls, 
and all the cultural mani])ulations, while requiring to be performed 
with tlue care and at the proper time, are so much reduced in labor- 
ousness as really to be classed as a pastime and interesting occupa- 
tion ; but above all the early maturity, large size, high quality, 
beauty and prolificacy as well as the higher market price of the fruit, 
raises them far above comparison with the effete standards. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



71 




72 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

Ilavino' thus introduced the subject of DIRECT COMPETI- 
TION as a stage in advance of mere "CONNECTION AS FILL- 
ERS," let us look into its capabilities a little more in detail. Fig. 
60 shows a COMPETITIVE plan for laying out a dwarf tree or- 
chard or garden. Here we take a piece of suitable land, 165x264 feet, 
which etiuals one acre of 43.560 feet, and lay out three eight-foot 
roadways, as shown, dividing the plot into four one-c]uarter acre 
lots, each being 411/4 feet wide and 264 feet long. Right here comes 
the first ({uestion to be decided regarding the style of trees to be 
planted and the distance apart. We have bushes at four by four feet 
apart, and o])li(iue, upright and U shaped cordons to select from. 
Let us compare the merits of each. With bushes at four by four feet 
apart we could plant eight rows in each quarter acre, with 6Q bushes 
in each row. That would allow 528 bushes to the quarter acre, or 
2.112 Inishes to the full acre. These would come into bearing the 
second year, and by the fourth year one bushel per bush might fairly 
be expected ; that would be about 51/2 bushels in the first four years 
from planting, or 11,616 bushels per acre; and observe here that au 
orchard of standard trees, planted at the same time, would hardly 
show a solitary apple, although there might be 40 of them on the acre. 

Now let us consider oblique and upright cordons, which amount 
to about the same, the oblique having 25 per cent more bearing wood 
than the upright cordons. The cordons may be planted two by four 
feet apart. There would still be eight rows four feet apart in each 
([uarter acre, but only two feet apart in the rows, or 132 cordons 
in each row ; we would thus have 4,224 cordons to the acre, and would 
])ractically bear the same ((uantity as the bushes above described, or 
4,224 bushels the fourth year, or 23,232 bushels in the first four years. 

This is almost beyond belief, but is merely the result of in- 
tensive culture, a .system as yet only in its infancy. Wonderful as 
the above results may appear, the next plan will double up the yield. 
Instead of planting bushes or plain cordons we advance a step and 
plant U shaped cordons (see Fig. 60). We just double the bearing 
wood on the same number of trees. U cordons being planted at two 
by four feet apart. This last proposition I leave you to figure out 
for yourselves, and yet that does not reach the limit by any means, 
for we may further intensify intensive culture by planting those 
cordons at only 18 inches apart in the row, which may be safely 
accomplished. But I must stop here or my readers will think I am 
"giving them a pipe dream." I will therefore only repeat here the 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 73 

words of St. Paul when Pestus said. "Paul, thou art beside thyself. 
Much learninji' doth make thee mad." He replied, "I am not mad, 
most noble Festus ; but I speak forth words of truth and soberness. ' ' 

Fig. 60 illustrates this very clearly. It is meant to represent 
a portion of one acre (cut off to fit on the page.) It represents 165 
feet wide and if carried out to full length 264 feet long; in it are 
the three eight-foot roadways, thus dividing into four one-quarter 
acre tracts; on the left is shown a tract planted in upright cordons 
at two by four feet apart of 4,224 trees per acre. Next comes a tract 
devoted to bushes at four by four feet apart, or 2,112 trees to the 
acre. Next we have a tract with globe or goblet form bushes, which 
are a little more spreading and as set at eight by eight feet apart, or 
528 trees per acre; and on the extreme right we have the U form 
cordon with the same number of trees as the upright cordons, and 
occupying the same space, BUT WITH JUST TWICE THE 
AMOUNT OF BEARING WOOD ; and if need be, you can intensify 
this intensive culture by 25 per cent by planting those upright cor- 
dons 18 inches apart in the row instead of two feet. 

Naturally it may be asked here, "If these facts have been known 
in Europe for ages, why have they not been commercially exploited 
there?" Well, it is easy to ask questions but not always so simple a 
matter to answer them satisfactorily. I will, however, give a scrap of 
history connected with an analogous case that may point to the 
answer : Over one hundred years ago there was a man who went 
out to play with his l)oys and show them how to fly a kite, when a 
thunder storm came along and the kite string got wet and thus be- 
came a good conductor of electricity, and he found the current of 
electricity was conveyed from the cloud to earth along the wet 
string. This was Benjamin Franklin. The fact was established and 
duly proven, but remained unutilized for many years, when another 
man with his head screwed on differently came along and viewing 
the conditions, brought his imagination to bear and said, "Why 
can't we stretch insulated wires to conduct the electricity from place 
to place and utilize it where recpiired?" and he stretched his wires 
and sent the celebrated message from Baltimore to Washington, 
"What hath God wrought?" This was Morse with his knowledge, 
imagination and faith, and since that time we have had the electric 
telegraph in operation and exploited almost to the limit of possibility. 
When another man comes along with more knowledge, more faith 
and greater imagination, with head screwed on in an opposite direc- 



74 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

tion to that of Morse and says. "Why not take those wires away 
altogether and send our electricity to make it own path through 
space?" This was a superhuman effort, and this was the immortal 
Marconi. He established a dispatching station at one side of the 
Atlantic ocean and a receiving station on the other side, with 3,00G 
miles of ocean between, having his skilled assistant at the dispatching 
station with instructions to keep sending a message consisting of 
the crooked little letter S and keep on till he received further in- 
struction, while he, the immortal Marconi, stationed himself at the 
other station to await results. At the time appointed both were on 
duty, when Marconi felt (if he did not fully realize it) that there was 
some influence being exercised on his instrument, indefiinite, uncer- 
tain, but as the dispatcher kept on repeating the letter S its symbol 
flickered and wavered till at last the finger of God traced that letter 
S in the sight of Marconi as clearly and distinctly as that same finger 
of God in long ages gone by traced the fatal MENE MENE TEKEL 
UPHARSIN on the wails of Balschazer's banquet hall, and we had 
the wireless telegraph an established fact through the knowledge, 
faith, and above all, the imagination of Marconi under God's supremo 
blessings. 

Now compare our dwarf fruit question with the above scrap of 
history and note the resemblance. None of those developments 
added anything to the inherent powers of electricity They already 
existed from the foundation of the world, but simply were un- 
recognized, and the men their heads screwed on in the right direction 
to see the glorious vista spread before them and the imagination to 
appreciate it had not yet come. So with the dwarf fruit tree ques- 
tion. More than 1,000 years ago the Japanese gardeners became 
aware of the possibilities of dwarfing fruit trees. Hundreds of 
years later the system was practiced in Europe. Fruit grovnng was 
practiced from the days of the Garden of Eden, and the industry 
grew up in the long courses of the ages, line upon line, precept upon 
precept, here a little and there a little, till we reached the present 
state of commercial orchardizing. When a man comes along with his 
head screwed on in the proper direction to see the glorious vista 
opening before him of the future of dwarf fruit tree culture and 
blessed with the imagination to realize it in all its detail and practical 
knowledge of the subject, and although 75 years of age, with mental 
activity sufficient to carry out his investigation in spite of the silly 
vaporing of Dr. Ossler, who thinks men should be nareoticized with 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 75 

eternal sleep at 50 years of age. And now I have personal knowledge 
of the various stages and advances of fruit culture from the planting 
of an apple or pear bud in the corner of a fence to the advanced 
intensive orchard culture with both standard and "fillers." When 
the comparison between the standard and the dwarf fruit trees in 
actual and direct competition comes up, I give my decision in favor of 
the dwarf trees every time for those who will make them a hobby. 

Among the simple questions that are hard to answer I am here 
reminded of one in connection with fruit trees that is very curious. 
Twenty-five years ago the apple tree tent caterpillar used to lay 
their eggs in a circle around the terminal twigs and after the leaves 
fell they were clearly visible to the naked eye and easily removed, 
and in some localities the orchardist was in the habit of removing 
them by bucketsfuU and burning them, and not one lot in 10,000 
would be placed otherwise than in a circle as above. In the course 
of years, however, as the fight became more strenuous between the 
orchardist and the moth, Mrs. Moth learned the trick of plastering 
the eggs in a flat layer on the upper side of the branch, where they 
were invisible to the orchardist from the ground. Any experienced 
and observant orchardist will corroborate this statement. Simple 
question : How did Mrs. Moth learn this trick? I do not know, unless 
Mrs. Moth in some way became acquainted with Whitcomb Riley's 
celebrated refrain, 

THE GOBLIN 

WILL GIT YE 

IF YE DON'T 

WATCH OUT! 

This discussion on the adaptability of dwarf fruit trees to the 
uses of the commercial orchardist, either in connection with standard 
trees as fillers or direct competition with them under intensive 
culture may be epitomized with advantage as follows : 

Fruit trees have from the beginning been subject to certain 
laws and conditions and the ignorance of such laws and conditions 
throughout the ages in no way justifies the denial of their existence. 
Just as in the case of electricity, the inherent power of electricity 
existed from the beginning, though Morse and Marconi did not come 
to exploit them till the Nineteenth Century — nevertheless they 
always existed. 

Many discoveries have been made regarding dwarf fruit trees 
that are now established facts fully proven and undisputable. Many 



76 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

other facts have not yet been fully demonstrated, but that is no 
reason to claim they are fallacious, but merely that they recjuire 
further investigation and practical experiment to fully develop their 
full force. 

Of the many facts already fully established and beyond cavil 
are the following : 

First — Ordinary fruit trees are suscepti])le under certain treat- 
ment to the dwarfing process. 

Second — The dwarfing process has the power of reducing the 
size of the trees, so that they may be planted at distances of 9x9, 
8x8, 4x4, 2x4 feet apart, and even less. 

Third — That the dwarfing of fruit trees hastens their maturity, 
causing them to come into bearing in two years, and frequently the 
first year from the bud or graft. 

Fourth — Dwarfing also has the effect of increasing the yield of 
fruit, enlarging and beautifying the fruit both in color and quilty 
and enlarging its size. 

Fifth — From the small size of the trees and their adaptability 
to training in various fancy forms they are especially adapted for 
use in suburban lots or small patches. 

In addition to this all the cultured manipulation from the nature 
of the case are reduced to a minimum, and such operation as train- 
ing, thinning the fruit, spraying, destroying insects, pests and dis- 
eases, gathering the fruit and pruning, can all be done while standing 
on the ground without the use of ladders or climbing the trees. 

These are all well established facts and fully settle the question 
of adaptability for suburbanite's use. The al)ove facts also settle the 
(piestion of their adaptability for use in commercial orchards as 
"fillers" to secure early and profitable crops of fruit while waiting 
for the large standard trees to come into bearing. 

When we come, however, to the cpiestion of full competition 
with the large standard trees there are some facts and data that 
re((uire further elucidation, not because favorable conditions do not 
exist, but merely that we have not yet exploited them sufficiently 
for practical purposes. 

Among those questions the most important probably is the 
securing reliable data of the yield of dwarf trees when planted 
"en bloc" by the acre for commercial purposes. As I am not aware 
of any extensive experiments having been made to settle this ques- 
tion and conse((uently a reasonable conservative caution would teach 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 77 

the wisdom of going- slowly at this stage, but at the same time the 
acknowledged merits of those dAvarf trees are amply sufficient to 
justify any progressive orchardist in testing the question on a limited 
area for his own satisfaction, and I am now planning a series of 
practical tests to secure reliable data upon this very important 
phase of the subject and I expect the results will far surpass the 
wildest imagination of the most optimistic orchardist, for no one 
has yet reached the limit of the results possible to obtain from in- 
tensive culture of any crop. Many years ago Orange Judd of the 
American Agriculturist gave a priz(> for the largest crop of potatoes 
to be grown on one acre, and if I recollect rightly. I think there were 
720 bushels from one measured acre in the prize crop, while the 
ordinary potato crop for the United States does not reach to more 
than 100 to 150 bushels per acre, and I expect to see in the near 
future (when the dwarf fruit trees come into actual competition 
with the old and effete style of standard trees) the experience of 
the potato grower far surpassed by the up-to-date dwarf fruit tree 
orchardist. 

In the foregoing I think I have made a fair comparison and 
have been fairly conservative in my figures, and, I trust, have made 
the subject suf^ciently plain for the reader to arrive at an intelligent 
idea on the subject. I think I have shown sufficiently valid reasons 
to justify an unprejudiced trial of the two systems subject to your 
own conditions. Far be it from me to recommend you to rush into 
this work Avildly, but go to work conservatively and try a few 
dwarf trees to make sure you are right and then go ahead for all 
there is in it. I will tell you frankly at the first word that if you 
are a slack handed fruit grower you had better let dwarf fruit trees 
alone, but if on the other hand you will take an interest in the work 
you will soon regard these little bushes as little pets, and watch their 
progress and development under your guilding care, and will grow 
fonder and prouder of them year by year. In such case they will 
amply repay all your efforts and prove a grand success outside of 
any pecuniary return. So far I have considered the two systems 
as opposed to one another and have not touched on the combination 
of the two. This is a very important phase of the question and 
worthy of careful consideration. We know that in starting a com- 
mercial orchard of standard trees we require to wait five or ten 
3^ears to reach the bearing age, but what are we to do for a profitable 
return in money from the land in the meantime? The practice has 



78 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

been to plant potatoes, corn or other erops between the trees, but 
this is not always advisable as the crops rob the young trees at the 
very time they require all the nourishment within their reach. 
Here comes in the advantage of dwarf trees as "fillers," being 
planted at the same time as the standards they begin to bear at two 
years and yield profitable crops continuously long before the stand- 
ards yield any return. The doucin and crab stock are most suitable 
for this purpose, and may be trained as half standards. The mere 
mention of this subject will be enough to draw the orchardist's atten- 
tion to its value and importance. 

The commercial orchardist, while familiar with ordinary fruit 
trees, may not have had his attention drawn to this subject of dwarf 
trees, and may be desirous of more detailed information. I would 
refer them to the first part of this handbook. 

It has been found by long experience that some varieties the 
different fruits respond better to the dwarfing process with the result 
of producing a far higher quality of fruit than others, consequently 
the European experts have made lists of selected varieties of fruit 
that will afford the greatest satisfaction to the grower. One of these 
lists I append. There are many other varieties which may be substi- 
tuted for them without much disadvantage, but one must draw the 
line somewhere and the high reputation of this list has been estab- 
lished by good judges. 

LIST OF TWENTY-EIGHT BEST APPLES FOR DWARFING. 

(In their order of ripening.) 
(C) for Culinary. (D) for Dessert. 

Summer Apples. 

MB. OIiASSTONZ: — Angrust (D). BEVONSHIBi: QTTABEirDElT — Augfust 

BEAUTY OF BATH — Augrust (C). (D), 

IBISH PEACH — August (D). KES^W^ICK CODIiIZT — Augnxst and Sep- 

tember (C). 

Autumn Apples. 

POTT'S SEESIiIira — September (C). WOBCESTEB PEABMAIIT — Augrust and 

EMFEBOB AIiEXANDEB — September September (D). 

to November. KING OF PIPPINS— October to Janu- 

CEIiINI — October and November (C). ary (D). 

STIBI.ING CASTIE — October and No- COX'S OBANOE PIPPIN — October to 

vember (C). February (D). 

ECHX.INVII.I.E SEESIiZNG — October PEAS600D NON-STTCH — October to 

to January (O). January CD). 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 79 

"WABNEB'S XINa — Octolaer to Janu- HAWTHOBKDEN — October to January 
ary (C), (C). 

BED ASTBACAN — AugtiBt and Septem- 
ber (B). 

Winter Apples. 

GOJaJJISN N0BI.£ — October to Maroli BLENHEIM OBANOE — November to 

(C). February (D). 

BISMABCK — November to February lyLANNINGTON'S FEABMAIN — Novem- 

(C). ber to March (D). 

BBAMI.ET'S SEESIiINO — December to CLAYGATE FEABMAIN— Kovember to 

March (C). March (D). 

OASCOZ6NE SEEDIiZNG — November COUBT FENDTJ FIiAT — December to 

to March (C). May (D). 

AI.FBISTON — November to April (C). COBNISH GIIiI.IFIiOWEB — December 
NEWTON WONDEB — November to to April 

May (C). DtTKE OF DEVONSHZBE — December to 

May (D). 

BEST PEARS. 

Early Summer Pears. 

BEUBBE GIPFABD— End of July. JABGONEI.Z.E — July (Wall). 

CIiAFF'S FAVOBITE — Augmst. BABTIiETT — Augrust and September. 

Autumn Pears. 

DUBONDEAir (DE TONOEBS — October. PITMASTON DVCHESSS — October and 
I.OUISE BONNE DE JEBSEY— October. November. 

Late Summer Pears. 

BEUBBE D'AMINXIS — September. JEBSE7 OBATIOIiZ — September and Oc- 

MABGUEBITE MABIIiIiAT — Septem- tober. 

ber. BEUBBE SUFEBFZN — September and 

October. 

Winter Pears 

DOYENNE DU COMICE — November. JEBSET CHAUMONTEZ^, November and 

BUEBBE DIEIi (BOYAI^) — November January. 

aud December. 

MABECHAI. DE I.A COUB — October OIiZVIEB DE SEBBES — March. 

and November. JOSEPHINE DE MAIiINES — January 

MABIE IiOUISE — October and Novem- to March. 

ber. 



Best Baking Pears 



BEIiliE DE JEBSST — November to CATIXiZiAC — December to Xarch. 
May. 



80 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



BEST SIX PEACHES. 



EABI.Y AXiEXANSEB — July. 
IirOBIi£SSZ: — Aug-ust and September. 
aOYAZi OEOBGZ: — August and Sept. 



HALE'S EARLY — July. 

GKOSSE MIGNONNE — September. 

PRINCESS OF WALES — September. 



BEST SIX NECTARINES. 



EARLY RIVERS — August. 
ADVANCE — August. 
LORD NAFIER — August. 



MOORPARK. 



STANWICK ELRUOE — End of August. 
PITMASTON ORANGE — September. 
PINEAPPLE — September. 



BEST APRICOTS. 

KEMSKIRK. 

BEST PLUMS. 



ROYAL. 



XIRKE'S PLUM. 
VICTORIA. 
GREEN GAGE. 
MONARCH. 



BLACK BIGARREAU. 
EARLY RIVERS. 
MAY DUKE. 
WHITE HEART. 



GOLDEN DROP. 
POND'S SEEDLING. 
JEFFERSON. 



BEST CHERRIES. 



ROYAL ANNE. 
BLACK TARTARIAN. 
STRANG LOGIE. 
NOBLE. 



BROWN TURKEY. 



FIGS. 

WHITE MARSEILLES. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



CROWN BOB. 
LANCASHIRE LAD. 
RIFLET/LAN. 
WARRINGTON. 
WHINHAM'S INDUSTRY. 



GOLDEN DROP (or Early Sulphur). 

VICTORIA. 

KEEPSAKE. 

MAY DUKE. 

WHITE SMITH. 



CURRANTS. 



COMET (New). 
RED DUTCH. 
RABY CASTLE. 
RED VERSAILLAISE. 
FAY'S PROLIFIC. 



WHITE DUTCH. 
BLACK NAPIES. 
BLACK CHAMPION. 
LEE'S PROLIFIC. 



The following list of selected dozens of apples for special quali- 
ties may be of interest to persons wishing to plant choice varieties for 
exhbition purposes: 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



81. 



Large Size. 



ALFRISTON. 
BISMAKCK. 

x:cxi.iNvii.i.i: si:x:di.ing. 

GX.OBIA MTJNBI. 



I.OX&B SUPFIELD. 
MSKE jyH MENAGE. 
MON3TBEUSE INCOMPABABIiE. 
FEAiSGOOD'S NON-SUCH. 
POTT'S SEEDI.ING. 
WABNEB'S KING. 



Bright Color. 



BISIVLABCK. 
CEI.INEE. 
COX'S POMONA. 
DEVONSHIRE QUARENDEN. 
EMPEROR AI.EXANDRE. 
GASCOIGNE'S SCARXiET. 



HOIcIiANDBURY'S ABMIRABIiE. 

LADY HENNIKER. 

MERE SE MENAGE. 

BED ASTBACHAN. 

THE QUEEN. 

WORCESTER PEABMAIN. 



Fine Flavor. 



ALDINGTON. 
BZ.ENHEIM OBANGE. 
CORNISH GIIiIiIFIiOWEB. 
COX'S OBANGE PIPPIN. 
DUKE OP DEVONSHIBE. 
GOIiDEN PIPPIN. 



IBISH PEACH. 

KING OF THE PIPPINS. 

MABGIIi. 

MB. GX.ADSTONE. 

RIBSTONE PIPPIN. 

BOYAI. BUSSSET. 



Heavy Crops. 



AX.FBISTON. 

BISMABGK. 

CEI.INEE. 

DEVONSHIRE QUARENDEN. 

ECKX.INVIX.I.E SEEDIiING. 

HAWTHORNDEN. 



KESWICK CODI.IN. 
I.ANE'S PRINCE AIiBEBT. 
I.OBD SUFFIEIiD. 
POTT'S SEEDI.ING. 
STIBI.ING CASTI.E. 
WORCESTER PEARMAIN. 



I Avill here make an extract from Mr. P. Le Cornu's work on 
cordon fruit trees that may he of interest. The cordon system of 
growing- fruit trees as adopted in the Royal Garden at Sandringham 
Palace, is now becoming very popular, and deservedly so, for by no 
other means can the same quantity of fine, highly flavored fruit be 
produced in any given space. Apples, pears and plums succeed as 
cordon, but more especially the former. Pears are also very profit- 
able when grown in this manner and produce an abundance of fruit 
of larger size and better quality than that which is grown on pyra- 
mids, or ordinary wall trees. For the following reasons I hold that 
this is the best of all systems and firmly believe it would be adopted 
by many more if they only knew the advantages which are to be de- 
rived from it. 



82 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



Fruit of the Largest Size and Quality — Only one rod or stem 
having to be supported, all the fruit borne is of the largest size and 
best quality. 

Wall or Espalier Covered in a Short Time — A wall or espalier 
can be covered with trees in less than a third of the time occupied 
in covering it with fan-trained or other trees. 

Trees Bear Younger and Give Heavier Crops — The trees treated 
in this way turn to bearing much yovniger and produce double the 
crops which could be expected from a single tree, covering the same 
space. 




Upright Cordon Apples, 2 x4 ft. apart, in bearing — After Le Cornu 

Fig. 6i 



Walls Never Entirely Bare — If one tree dies it can easily be re- 
placed, whereas with a fan-trained or other large tree part of the 
wall is left entirely uncovered for years. 

Summary of Reasons — To sum up in a few words. By no other 
means can trees be so quickly made fruitful. The second season most 
of the cordons paid the cost of their purchase many times over. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 83 

THESE REASONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. 

He says further, in speaking of his profitable cordon fruit gar- 
den (See cut above) : "The walls surrounding the illustration of 
the profitable garden, show clearly the leading features of this sys- 
tem. Single cordon trees with a quantity of friiit spurs already on 
them should be procured of apples on Paradise stock and pears on 
the quince. These should be planted at an angle of 40 degrees to 
50 degrees, according to the height of the wall, about 16 to 18 inches 
apart from one another. IN NO CASE SHOULD THEY BE 
PLANTED AT A GREATER DISTANCE, as the roots would have 
too much room for development and would cause the trees to run to 
growth instead of forming fruit spurs. I find it more convenient to 
stretch horizontal wires along the walls at about every foot instead 
of tying in the trees Avith nails in the old-fashioned way, taking care 
to keep the wire three inches away from the wall, so that the spur at 
the back of the stem of the cordon may have room to develop. Fruit 
growers who are not the happy possessors of walls need have no dif- 
ficulty in growing large fruit without this expensive adjunct, for 
with the cordon system on wires magnificent apples and pears may 
easily be grown. 

The lines of wire are made fast to terminal pillars, five to seven 
feet high at each end with intermediate pillars at every ten or fifteen 
feet, the whole being tightened by means of raidisseurs or stiffeners. 
The pillars may be made of wood or iron. If the former, they should 
be made like an inverted cross and tarred or painted to preserve 
them. Iron, owing to its lasting properties, is really the cheapest in 
the end. All my pillars formerly were of wood, but have now been 
entirely replaced by iron work. After much thought to the subject. 
I have adopted the sj^stem here illustrated, which for rigidity cannot 
be beaten (See cut No. 27). When convenient the rows of cordons 
should be placed north and south, so that the sun may ripen the fruit 
on both sides of the trees. 

The Horizontal Cordons — 'Are usually planted as an edging to 
garden paths, and in this way they make very handsome objects and 
occupy very little space. Double horizontal cordons occasionally be- 
come unequal in strength, hence I always recommend single cordons, 
planted to follow one another in one direction. A line of wire should 
be stretched 15 or 18 inches above ground. The cordons should then 
be planted (apples in preference) at every six or eight feet, and then 



84 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



be made fast to the wire in such a manner that the part which is 
below the wire may be perfectly perpendicular, after which the re- 
mainder of the stem should be carefully bent down and tied full 
length to the horizontal wire. 




Diamond Garden Fence 

Fig. 62 

Diamond Fence Patterns (see garden cut) — Double cordon ap- 
ples should be i)lauted for this purpose at 18 inches apart. One of 
the branches should be trained to the right at an angle of 45 degrees, 
and one to the left at th(^ same angle, the two forming togethr a per- 
fect right angle, and as the trees grow the leading branch should be 
trained in a direct line until the desired height is attained. This will 
form a very picturesque and in many cases a very useful fence or 
partition between two parts of the garden. A wire fence will be re- 
(juired the same as in the oblique system, and the distance between 
the wires should be so regulated that the line of wire may pass ex- 
actly liehind the crossing of the branches, forming the corners of the 
diamonds. 

Upright Perpendicular Cordons (for very high walls and arches) 
■ — Are rec(unmended for arches, and when walls are at least 15 or 20 
feet high and as the sap has always a tendency to flow upward it will 
be necessary to shorten the leader back each season in order to de- 
velop the fruit spurs along the stem. The varieties of apple, pear and 
plum best adapted for cordons are those that have close-eyed and 
short jointed wood. For cordon plums the soil should be as poor as 
possible. Lime rubbish and rubble of any kind may be mixed freely 
with the soil in planting and no manure whatever should be employed 
except in the poorest of soil. Lifting these occasionally will prove 
very beneficial. 

Having given an English expert's instructions in the art of 
dwarfing trees, it may not be out of place to quote from a Japanese 
source the instructions they issue to their customers and note how 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 



85 




Upright Cordon Gooseberries. Onlj' 9 inches 

between the plants. After Philip Le Coruu 

Fig. 65 

closely they agree with the English practice, although they were ex- 
perts in the art of dwarfing trees centuries before the English horti- 
culturists ever heard of the subject. To such perfection have they 
brought the art that dwarf trees of over 400 years growth in pots are 
to be seen at the present day, sound and healthy, still growing in 
pots. 

Treatment of Thuja Obtusa (a variety of the Arbor Vite) — Dur- 
ing spring and summer, by preference, keep this plant in a sunny, 
airy situation where the wind will pass freely through the branches, 
water once a day, giving just enough to make the soil moist; in dry, 
hot weather it may be necessary to give water tvnce a day, care, how- 
ever, being taken not to have the soil wet, and never water unless the 
plant needs it. Watering overhead in dry weather is bad, but rain is 
always beneficial. 



86 



THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



During winter keep the tree in a cool green house, partially 
shaded or in an unheated orangery, giving water about once in 10 
days; the soil, however, must never be allowed to get dry. (The 
secret of successful culture of all plants in pots, consists in judicious 
watering, giving too much or too little is equally bad. Maples and 
other deciduous trees (such as fruit trees) take the same treatment 
as Thuja as regards watering, but are much more accommodating 
than evergreens. In fairly mild climates the maples may remain out- 




Pear Tree, "Madam Treyve," Sept. 

Goblet form with 8 branches, lo years old, 6 ft. 

high, II ft. circumference, with 138 fruits 

Fig. 66 

of-doors all winter, but where the frost is very severe they should be 
kept in a cellar after the leaves have fallen in autumn. The soil must 
always be kept moist but not wet. Early in spring put the plant out 
of doors and fully exposed to all weathers, and when in full leaf use 
for decoration in doors as needed. 

Manuring — When the trees commen'^e growing in the spring, we 
give manure twdce a month, say March, \pril. May and June, again 
in September and October. In the hot days of July and August we 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 87 

give no manure, and the same in winter and spring, the plants then 
being at rest ; the best manure is finely powdered oil cake or bone 
meal. To a jardinier one foot in diameter we give tbree or four large 
teaspoonsful. not heaped, of this dry manure, spread evenly round the 
edge of the jardinier — a larger or smaller jardinier will require more 
or less — for a small jardinier, say three by six inches, half a teaspoon- 
ful will be ample each time. 

Repotting — -This is done by us once in two or three years, as fol- 
lows: Lift the plant out of the jardinier and with a sharp pointed 
stick remove about one-third of the old soil around the edge and bot- 
tom, cutting away a portion of the old fine roots, but none of the 
strong roots, then replace the plant in the same jardinier, first look- 
ing to the drainage. For a small shallow jardinier we use a fiat piece 
of stone or a flat crock over each hole ; over this we spread some rich, 
fresh soil to within half an inch of the rims ; this holds the water and 
prevents the manure being washed over the sides of the jardinier; 
also the soil should be made sufficiently tight around the edges of the 
jardinier to prevent the escape of the water, it being of the first im- 
portance that all the ball of soil around the plant be moistened at 
each watering. Should the watering of the plant at any time be 
neglected and the soil become quite dry, put the jardinier i]i a tub 
of water for 10 or 15 minutes — NOT LONGER — and if the injury is 
not too serious, the plant will recover. In the case of large plants 
we use hollow crocks for drainage, the same as used by growers of 
specimen plants. After several repottings the plant having increased 
in size, shift into a larger pot, but as dwarfness is the thing aimed at 
the smaller the shift the better. Repotting should be done in Febru- 
ary or starch, just before spring growth commences. 

Pruning" — -To maintain dwarfness in trees, pinch back the young 
growth ; this we usually do from April to the middle of June, and 
always with the finger and thumb. Flowering peach and flowering 
cherry, etc., we pinch back to non-flowering shoots either before or 
after blooming; in July and August we pinch back all young growth, 
leaving only four or five leaves on each shoot. Maple and other de- 
ciduous trees are pinched back in the same manner, leaving two to 
four leaves, as may be necessary to maintain the proper shape of the 
plants. Should a second growth be made the same rule is followed 
of pinching out the points. 

It will be noticed here the great similarity between the European 
and the Japanese practice of dwarfing trees, and yet it must be re- 



88 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

membered that while the European system dates l)ack a few cen- 
turies, the Japanese goes back a millenium or more. 

The Japanese dwarfs, when compared with the European dwarf 
potted trees, show a very distinctive difference in that the roots are 
in large measure above the soil and exposed to the air. This is be- 
cause in addition to their instructions for potting there is one manip- 
ulation they carefully guard as a trade secret, and that is : Each year 
when they repot the trees they plant the tree very slightly shallower 
than it was the year before, and although in young trees this is 
hardly apparent, in the course of years it becomes emphasized and 
gives the tree the appearance of growing on stilts. Among the fancy 
forms of trained trees the Japanese gardener keeps in stock are "The 
Stork" (a favorite fancy figure with them), "The Turtle." "The 
Chicken," "The Rooster," and "The Hen," "The Junk Full Rig- 
ged." and offer customers to train trees to any design they may order. 
Of course there is no practical advantage in these fancy forms except 
fun and fancy for the grower, and to enjoy that pleasure one had 
better exercise their own ingenuity to do that work for themselves. 

SPRAYING AND FRUIT PESTS. 

This being intended as a hand-book for instruction of suburban- 
ites who have little or no practical experience in the details of or- 
chard work ; it would be incomplete without some reference to this 
very important detail. 

During the past few years the fruit pests have greatly increased 
in number and variety and at the same time our knowledge about 
them and the means of combating them has also increased. The 
means at our disposal for this warfare, while efficient, must be used 
with energy and intelligence. To this end we must accjuaint our- 
selves with the nature and hal)its of these enemies and must there- 
fore classify them. First we have two principal divisions. Insects 
and fungi. The insect pests may be divided into those that feed by 
biting the fruit and leaves and those that live by suction ; the other 
division is in the form of vegetable and bacterial enemies. The biting 
insects are poisoned by arsenicals sprayed on the fruit, leaves and 
■branches. This spraying business is of the utmost importance, and 
like some political parties voting, must be done "early and often." 
As the result of spraying is perfectly successful in exact proportion 
to the care and thoroughness with which it is done, consequently it 
will be both labor and money wasted if performed in a slipshod man- 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 89 

ner. The spraying outfit consists of a receptacle for holding the 
chemicals, which should be constructed of brass, copper or wood, and 
the pump, which must also be made of brass or bronze, as no other 
metal will stand the corrosive action of the chemicals; there is also 
required a rubber hose and a spraying nozzle. Spraying outfits are 
manufactured in great variety, from the brass garden syringe and 
wooden stable bucket to the elaborate power machines, driven by 
gasoline motor engines and tanks of several hundred gallons capac- 
ity, and capable of spraying two or four trees at one time. As there 
are cheap sprayers on the market made of tin I will in this place add 
an emphasized DON'T, DON'T, ever purchase a tin spray pump, for 
it would rot out after the first use of Bordeaux mixture. Your spray 
pump MUST BE either brass or bronze. As the suburbanite will only 
have a few trees, and dwarfs at that, a very modest outfit will 
answer his requirements. The simple wooden stable bucket with 
brass hand spraj^er is, of course, the simplest, and is fairly efficient 
where only a small space and low growing plants require treatment. 
The knapsack sprayer is a very convenient style for suburbanite's 
use. It is worn like a knapsack and is supplied in two styles, one 
with direct action pump and the other has the fluid forced through 
the nozzle by atmospheric pressure. Both are good, reliable imple- 
ments and give satisfaction to those using them. As the foregoing 
require to be moved by hand from place to place, they are to some 
extent inconvenient. To avoid this difficulty one has been introduced 
on the principle of a barrel cart, which may be trundled about the 
garden with greater facility. It is needless here to refer to the large 
outfits operated by horse or motor engine power as they are un- 
adapted to use in restricted areas. Having decided on the style of 
tank for holding and carrying the fluid, we come to consider the 
style of pump, and here I may say there is no ''BEST" pump. All 
that are now on the market are capable of doing fair work; that 
pump is the most useful that throws the fluid with the greatest force 
and with the expenditure of the least labor. It is the force with 
which the fluid is driven through the nozzle that secures the fineness 
of the spray, which should be like a cloud or mist. We now come to 
a very important element of the spraying outfit, that is the nozzle. 
There are nozzles and nozzles (ad infinitum). As some nozzles are 
liable to become clogged with little grains of lime, a provision con- 
sisting of a movable pin has been added in order to clear away any 
obstruction. Of this kind is the Bordeau nozzle. The Vermorel is a 



90 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

very favorite pattern, but so many changes have been made (some 
useful, others of no importance) that one is compelled to fall back 
on first principles. Any nozzle in which the tluid enters the nozzle 
chamber at one side and whirls around right angles to the outlet 
hole, before being forced out, should do the work. Having procured 
our outfit we are up against the question : What are we to do with it? 
We had better here fall back on the first principles. We must use 
it with energy, in the right manner and at the right time. Remember 
that ONE thorough spraying when required is worth a dozen careless 
attempts. As many of the materials used in fighting fruit pests are 
highly poisonous the greatest care should be taken to keep all sub- 
stances used for spraying where they will be safe from animals, chil- 
dren and meddlers. And all such materials should be correctly 
labelled. 

Solutions and mixtures contain copper sulphate, corrosive subli- 
mate and arsenate of lead, should be made in wood, glass or earthen 
vessels. 

Arsenical sprays should not be applied to fruits within two 
weeks of the time they are to be used as food. 

Trees should not be sprayed -when they are in blossom. 

Familiarize yourself with the habits and appearance of the vari- 
ous fruit pests and the best treatment for their eradication. 

FUNGICIDES AND INSECTICIDES. 

These consist of quite a variety of mixtures, some used in liquid 
form as sprays, come in di-y form as powders by dusting, some in 
gaseous form in fumigations, and some combined fungicides and in- 
secticides, so as, if possible, to kill two enemies with one shot. 

Bordeaux Mixture — Is the first and one of the best fungicides 
adopted for controlling fungus diseases. It has long been known that 
the various salts of copper were destructive to fungus spores, and 
sulphate of copper was first used in France to control the Phylloxera, 
or grape fungus. It was found, however, that the sulphate (or Blue- 
stone) contained so much free acid that it injured the foliage and 
consequently something was required to naturalize the acid; this was 
effected by the use of quicklime, and after experimenting the vinyard- 
ists succeeded in making a mixture of carbonate of copper (Bluestone 
or Blue Vitroil) slaked lime and water, and this became knovra as 
BORDEAUX MIXTURE. When the fungus fruit pests began to be 
unbearable it was introduced into our orchards to fight the pests, 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 91 

with varying results, as might be expected. The concensus of expert 
opinion, however, was largely to the effect that it possessed real 
merit, and that where it failed or was partially unsatisfactory was 
finally traced to preventable causes. After long years of practical 
and scientific work it has now been brought to a degree of perfection 
and universal application as to render its use and result therefrom 
absolutely certain of success if used vigorously, and with reasonable 
intelligence. 

FORMULA. 

Sulphate of Copper (Blue Vitriol) four pounds. 

Lime (unslaked) four pounds. 

Water, 25 to 50 gallons. 

Dissolve the bluestone in hot or cold water, using a wood or 
earthen vessel, and hanging the bluestone tied in a cloth on the sur- 
face of the water. Slake the lime in a tub, adding water cautiously, 
and only sufficient to insure thorough slaking. After thoroughly 
slaking, more water may be added and stirred in until it has the con- 
sistency of thick cream. When both are cold, dilute each to the re- 
quired strength and pour both together into a separate vessel and 
thoroughly mix. Before using, strain through a fine sieve or gunny 
sack. This seems to be a very simple matter ; yet considerable trouble 
has freequently been experienced in the prparation of Bordeau 
mixture. Care should be taken that the hme is of good quality and 
well burned and has not been air slaked. Lumps are far better than 
fine lime, and are selected by masons for fine work. When small 
amounts of lime are to be slaked it is advisable to use hot water. 
Lime should not be allowed to become dry in slaking, neither should 
it be allowed to be completely submerged in water. Lime slakes best 
when supplied with just enough water to develop a large amount of 
heat, which renders the process active. If the amount of lime in 
the Bordeau mixture is not sufficient to neutralize the acid, there is 
danger of burning the tender foliage. There are two simple tests 
that will show this condition, one is to dip the polished blade of a 
knife in the mixture. If the amount of lime is insufficient, a thin 
coat of copper will be deposited on the knife. The other test is made 
by dissolving Ferro cyandie of potassium in water (one ounce Ferro 
cyanide to five or six ounces water), a deep brownish red color is 
imparted on adding the test to the Bordeaux mixture, and more lime 
should be added until neither reaction occurs. A slight excess of lime 



92 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

is, however, desirable, and it is seldom one has to apply these tests. 

Several standard strengths of Bordeaux have been established 
and are known by the abbreviated names of the formulae, as follows : 

Full strength (or 4-4-25, formula). That is four pounds copper 
sulphate, four pounds lime, and 25 gallons water. 

Half strength (4-4-50, formula). 

6-4-50, formula. 

3-6-50, formula. 

2-2-50, formula. 

3-9-50, formula. 

The last three formulae are suitable for peach and plum foliage, 
which are liable to burn when full strength mixtures are used. Bor- 
deaux mixture is also on the market in a dry form and may be used 
either alone or mixed with the arsenicals and applied with a powder 
gun. 

SODA BORDEAUX MIXTURE. 

Copper sulphate, four pounds. 

Water, 50 gallons. 

Add enough soda lye to make the mixture alkaline to test paper. 
This is merely substituting soda for the line and has the advantage 
of not clogging the spray nozzle, which the lime is apt to do. 

AMMONIACAL COPPER CARBONATE. 

Copper carbonate, live ounces. 

Ammonia (26 degrees Beaume), three pints. 

Water, 50 gallons. 

Dissolve the copper carbonate in the ammonia. This may be 
kept any length of time without injury if kept in a glass stoppered 
bottle and can be diluted to the required strength when wanted for 
use. The solution loses strength on standing. 

COPPER SULPHATE SOLUTION, 

(Strong Solution.) 

Copper sulphate, one pound. 

Water, 25 gallons. 

Applied only on trees without foliage. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 93 

COPPER SULPHATE SOLUTION. 

(Weak Solution.) 

Copper sulphate, tv/o to four ounces. 
Water, 50 gallons. 
For trees in foliage. 

POTASSIUM SULPHIDE. 

Potassium sulphide, three ounces. 

Water, 10 gallons. 

Valuable for gooseberry mildews, etc. 

INSECTICIDES. 

(Stomach Poisons.) 

PARIS GREEN— DRY. 

Paris Green, one pound. 
Flour. 20 to 50 pounds. 

Mix thoroughly and apply evenly, preferably when the dew is 
on the plants. 

PARIS GREEN— WET. 

Paris Green, one pound. 

Quicklime, one to two pounds. 

Water. 200 gallons. 

Slake the lime in part of the water, sprinkling in the Paris Green 
gradually and then add the rest of the water. For peach and other 
tender leaved plants use 300 gallons of water. Keep well stirred 
while spraying. Paris Green is a preparation of Arsenic, and a pow- 
erful poison; great care must be taken in handling it. 

ARSENATE OF LIME. 

(Poison.) 

White Arsenic, two pounds. 

Sal Soda, eight pounds. 

Water, two gallons. 

Boil till the arsenic all dissolves— about 45 minutes. Make up 
the water lost in boiling, and place in an earthen dish. For use take 
one pint of stock, two pounds of freshly slaked lime, and 45 gallons 
water, and spray. 



94 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

ARSENATE OF LEAD. 

(Poison.) 

Arsenate of Soda (50 degrees strength), four ounces. 

Acetate of Lead, 11 ounces. 

Water, 100 gallons. 

Put the arsenate of soda in two ([uarts of water, in a wooden 
pail, and the acetate of lead in four quarts of water in another 
wooden pail. When both are dissolved, mix with rest of the water. 
Warm water in the pails will hasten the process. For elm leaf beetle 
use 10 gallons instead of 100 gallons of water. 

As arsenate of lead has now an established place on the market 
it will be cheaper and more satisfactory to procure the ready made 
article from the drug store. 

ARSENATE OF LEAD. 

(Ready Prepared Article.) 

Arsenate of Lead, three pounds. 

Water, 50 gallons; for coddling moth, and 

Arsenate of Lead, five pounds. 

Water, 50 gallons, for elm leaf beetle, and on potatoes. 

CONTACT POISONS. 
WHALE OIL SOAP. 

(For Winter Use Only.) 

Potash Whale Oil Soap, two pounds. 
Hot Water, one gallon. 

WHALE OIL SOAP. 

(For Summer Use.) 

Potash Whale Oil Soap, one pound. 
Hot Water, six gallons. 

KEROSENE EMULSION. 

Hard Soap, shaved fine, half pound. 
Water, two gallons. 
Kerosene, two gallons. 

Dissolve the soap in the water, boiling hot ; remove from the fire 
and pour it into the kerosene while hot. Churn this with a spray 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 95 

pump till it changes to a cream, then to a soft butter-like mass. Keep 
this as a stock, using one part in nine parts of water for soft bodied 
insects, such as plant lice, or stronger in certain cases. 

RESIN LIME MIXTURE. 

Pulverized Resin, five pounds. 

Concentrated Lye, one pound. 

Fish Oil, one pint. 

Water, five gallons. 

Place the oil, resin and one gallon of hot water in an iron kettle 
and heat till the resin softens ; then add the lye and stir thoroughly ; 
now add four gallons of hot water and boil till a little will mix with 
cold water and give a clear amber colored liquid; add water to 
make up five gallons. Keep this as a stock solution. 

For Use Take 

Stock Solution, one gallon. 
Water, 16 gallons. 
Milk of Lime, three gallons. 
Paris Green, one-fourth pound. 

This sticks well to smooth leaves and is highly recommended by 
some of the experiment stations. 

LIME SULPHUR WASH. 

Fresh Stone Lime, 20 to 22 pounds. 

Flowers of Sulphur, 18 to 20 pounds. 

Water, 45 to 50 gallons. 

Slake the lime with some of the water in a large iron kettle, 
sprinkling in the sulphur gradually. Start a fire under the kettle to 
continue the heat begun by the slaking lime, and boil till the mixture 
becomes a dark orange color, adding water till 35 or 40 gallons are 
in the kettle. Boiling will probably take from 40 minutes to an 
hour ; stirr frequently ; a successfully prepared lot should have little 
sediment when the boiling is finished. Strain through a fine meshed 
strainer, adding the rest of the water and spray while warm. This 
is a winter and fall wash, but cannot be used while the trees are 
in leaf. 



96 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

CARBOLIC ACID EMULSION. 

Hard Soaj), shaved fine, one pound. 
Water, one gallon. 
Crude Carbolic Acid, one pint. 

Dissolve soap in boiling water, adtl the cjirbolic acid, and churn 
as for kerosene emulsion. Use one part of this with 30 parts of Avater. 

HELLEBORE. 

White Hellebore, one ounce. 

Water, one to two gallons. 

Steep the helebore in a pint of water and gradually add the rest 
of the water. Helleliore may also be dusted over the plants, either 
pure or mixed with flour or plaster. 

INSECT POWDER— PYRETHRUM. 

Mix with half its bulk of flour and keep in a tight can for 2-1 
hours ; then dust over tlie plants. 
Insect Powder, 100 grains. 
Water, two gallons. 
Mix together and spray. 

COMBINED FUNGICIDES AND INSECTICIDES. 
BORDEAUX MIXTURE AND PARIS GREEN. 

Paris Gr(>en, if jjure, six ounces; more if necessary. 
Bordeaux Mixture, 50 gallons. 

BORDEAUX MIXTURE AND ARSENATE OF LEAD. 

With ready prepared arsenate of lead ^^se five pounds to 50 
gallons. 

BORDEAUX MIXTURE AND ARSENATE OF LIME. 

Arsenate of Lime (made by foregoing formula), P/. quarts. 
Bordeaux Mixture, 50 gallons. 

IVORY SOAP. 

Ivory Soap (10-cent size), one bar. 
Water, 15 gallons. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 97 

Apply warm as it thickens on cooling. Recommended for rose 
mildew and i)lant lice. 

FUMIGANTS. 
CARBON BISULPHATE. 

(Explosive — Use With Caution.) 

Evaporate one ponnd of carbon bisulphate to every 1,000 cubic 
feet of space. This is done by pouring the bisulphate into shallow 
dishes placed in the upper part of the space to be fumigated, and 
closing everything tightly and leaving it 24 hours. Then open and 
ventilate for 10 minutes before entering or using anything that has 
been fumigated. The vapor of carbon bisulphate being heavier than 
air settles towards the floor. This treatment is effective for infested 
grain, weevily seed, clothes moths, carpet beetles, etc., or any living 
thing in closets, trunks or tight boxes where they may be placed for 
treatment. CAUTION: DO NOT USE CARBON BISULPHATE 
NEAR FIRE OR WHERE THERE IS MUCH HEAT, AS IT TAKES 
FIRE AND EXPLODES EASILY, EVEN FROM A LIGHTED 
PIPE OR CIGAR. 

HYDROCYANIC OR PRUSSIC ACID. 
(Deadly Poison.) 

(For Nursery Stock.) 

Potassie Cyanide (98 or 99 degrees). 

Sulphuric Acid (1.8.S, sp. gr. commercial). 

Water. 

Multiply the number of cubic feet to be fumigated by .2 or .25, 
giving the number of grams of cyanide for the house or box ; divide 
the answer by 28.35, giving the weight of cyanide in ounces. Take 
twice as many fluid ounces of acid and four times as many fluid 
ounces of water as was taken in ounces by weight of the cyanide. 
Mix the water and the acid in an earthenware or graniteware jar. 
Then by a loose bag and string drop the c^^anide into the acid after 
closing tightly the place to be fumigated, with yourself safe from the 
fumes outside. As soon as the cyanide touches the acid, fumes of 
PRUSSIC ACID ARE DEVELOPED. THE INHALATION OF THE 
SMALLEST QUANTITY OF WHICH IS SURE AND SUDDEN 
DEATH. 



98 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

Leave everything closed up tight for 40 minutes, then open From 
the outside and air for at least ten minutes before entering. 

PIYDROCYANIC ACID. 

(B^or Empty Houses.) 

Potassic Cyanide (1)8 or 9i) degrees) one ounce per 100 cubic feet. 
Sulphuric Acid (1.88, sp. gr. commercial), two fluid ounces per 
100 cubic feet. 

Mix as directecl fov the last formula. 

NOTE — I would recommend suburbanites unfamiliar with the 
handling of these powerful poisons in fumigation not to use them 
without the help of experts in the work. 

SOLUBLE OR MISCIBLE OILS. 

Recently the miscibic oils have l)een put upon the market and 
have now passed the experimental stage and have been found very 
useful preparations for fighting fruit pests. Heretofore the formulae 
on the market were proprietory and secret, and being too good a 
thing to be gobbled up by monopolists. INIr. L. C. Penny has given 
much attention to devising a practical method for the preparation of 
miscible oils by means of special soap solutions. The soap solution 
specially recommended by him contains: 

Manhadden (fish) Oil, 10 gallons. 

Carbolic Acid, eight gallons. 

Caustic Potash, 15 pounds. 

This mixture is heated to about 300 Fahrenheit, after which two 
gallons each of kerosene and water are added. A number of in- 
secticide formulae have been worked out by Mr. H. Penny, both for 
winter and summer use. The one he considers most efficient for 
winter use contains 3 2-3 gallons of the above soap solution, 40 gal- 
lons paraffine oil, six gallons resin oil, and water sufficient for the 
desired dilution. (See Bulletin 79 of Delaware Agricultural Station.) 

C. O. Haughton of Delaware Agricultural College has been ex- 
perimenting in this direction, and he with other investigators has 
found it necessary to use kerosene emulsion containing 15 per cent 
to 20 per cent kerosene, in order to get satisfactory results in destroy- 
ing scale insects. By means of miscible oils properly prepared scale 
insects were effectually destroyed when only 10 per cent of heavy 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 99 

oil was presiMit in the spray, and it is believed that a considerably 
smaller percent;; ;:;e will give satisfactory result. The most effective 
formula for miscible oil thus far tested calls for nine gallons soap 
solution. 114 gallons water, 40 gallons paraffine oil, and six gallons 
resin oil. The above quantities are mentioned as being suitable in 
preparing the oils for orchard use ; but as it is only a matter of sim- 
ple mixing the ingredients a very much smaller quantity would be 
required for suburbanite's use and may be made by a proportionate 
reduction in the formula. Bulletin 86, Pennsylvania Agricultural 
Experiment Station, treats also on this subject. 

QUASSIA CHIPS. 

Quassia Chips, eight pounds. 

Whale Oil Soap, seven pounds. 

The quassia chips are boiled in about one gallon of water to each 
pound of chips for one hour. The soap is added while hot and 
allowed to dissolve. This solution is then diluted with 100 gallons 
of water. Use with sprayer; or on young trees the tips of the 
branches affected may be dipped in the liquid. This is a very effective 
wash for the aphis and is much used in Washington, California and 
Oregon for spraying hop vines, as it is not poisonous. 

I may here mention that the lime sulphur wash above men- 
tioned when first introduced was called the Lime, Salt, and Sulphur 
Wash, as it was made with a proportion of salt, the formula for which 
was : 

LIME SALT AND SULPHUR WASH. 

Lime, unslaked. 30 pounds. 

Sulphur, flowered, 20 pounds. 

Salt, coarse, 15 pounds. 

Water, 50 gallons ; mix as above. 

However, when the Agricultural Experiment Stations got to ex- 
perimenting with it they found that the salt might be dispensed with 
as superfluous. 

All these spray formulae are taken from the bulletins, and re- 
ports of the United States Department of Agriculture and different 
Agricultural Experiment Stations and are public property. 

In order to make this very important subject more exhaustive I 
give some extracts from the instructions issued to his customers by 
one of the largest growers of dwarf trees in Europe. 



100 THE SUBURBANITES HANDBOOK 

NOTES on the Prevention and Destruction of Insects, Pests antl 
Diseases affectin<z: Fruit Trees: 

Broadly speaking the enemies of plant life may he divided into 
four classes : 

First — The Aphides (Green Fly, (^tc.)— These have to he de- 
stroyed l)y the direct application of insecticides. 

Second — -Leaf-eating Insects (Caterpillars, Slugs, etc.) — Foi* 
whose destruction the foliage of the plants must be poisoned. 

Three — Fungoid Diseases Mildews, Blister, etc.) 

Fourth— Mosses, Lichens, Scales and diseases of the I)ark which 
can only be effectually dealt with in winter when the trees are dor- 
mant. 

Before entering into details res}iecting the above I will enum- 
erate a few remedies wdiich are of easy application. Most of those 
are best applied in a li({uid form so that a high class syringe with a 
fine nozzle is an absolute necessity. In large gardens a knapsack 
spraying pump, such as the Vermorel or Antipest, though apparently 
costly at first, ^^nll save its value in a very short time. 

DIRECT INSECTICIDES. 

The first among the following is a cheap, effective and easily 
peated sprayings with formula F (including the Paris Green), first, 
made insecticide, which I make an extensive use of in my nurseries: 

(A). Take half a gallon of paraffine (with a little M^ater added) 
and two pounds soft soap, and boil these together in an old kettle 
in the open garden. When boiling, carefully skim off the greasy look- 
ing surface and then pour the paraffine into a tub containing 25 
gallons of rain water. Stir thoroughly before using. 

(B). Take four ounces of quassia chips and boil them 10 min- 
utes in a gallon of rain water; strain them and add to the liquid 
four ounces of soft soap, lengthening the whole of 2V^ gallons. 

(C). Boil two pounds of tobacco leaf stalks in a gallon of 
water, strain them and lengthen them to five gallons. 

LEAF POISONING INSECTICIDES. 

(D). The most effective of these is Paris Green Mixtures. This 
is made l\v dissolving one ounce of Paris Green and two ounces of 
fresh lime in 12 gallons of wat(>r. The lime is needed to destroy the 
caustic properties of the Paris Green. 



OF DWIARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 101 

(E). Dissolve half pound hellebore powder and half pound 
alum in 1ej)id vvater aiul lengthen to five gallons. 

ANTI-FUNGOIDES. 

{h). The best anti-fungoid is the composition known as Bor- 
deaux Mixture i^aeseribed abovej. This and formula D are often 
used together, in which case four ounces of i'aris Green will be re- 
quired, but no more additional lime. 

(G). Another good anti-fungoid spray is made by dissolving 
five ounces of sui])hide of potassium (liver of sulphur) in Avarm 
water, and lengthening this to 10 gallons. 

(H). If the trees need spraying when the fruit is in a very 
advanced state it is advisable to use the ammoniacal-copi)er solution. 
This is made by dissolving one ounce of copper carbonate in a bottle 
containing a little under half a pint of ammonia. The bottle will 
contain sufficient to make 10 gallons of spray. It sliould be made 
only as required, as the ammonia exaporates rapidly. 

WINTER DRESSING. 

(I). Dissolve in separate vessels one pound commercial caustic 
soda and one pound crude potash ; pour the two solutions into a tub 
containing 10 gallons of water, and add thereto three-fourths of a 
pount! molasses (connncm treacle). This preparation may be ha*! 
ready mixed in five-gallon canisti'is (concentrated) to make 50 gal- 
lons of spray. 

APPLE AND PEAR DISEASES. 

Most varieties of fruit have one or more diseases or insects 
peculiar to them, but on the other hand several of these are common 
to nearly all kinus of trees, 'lliey will therefore be referred to under 
heauings of the fruit trees most affected by their ravages. 

Green Fly — Apples are frequently and pears occasionally sub- 
ject to serious attacks from these. They are, however, easily dis- 
posed of by spraying with formula. 

Woolly Aphis (American Blight) and Oyster Shell Bark Louse 
(Scale) are two of the worst enemies of the bark and young growth. 
Both are destroyed by painting or spraying the affected part while 
the trees are dormant, preferably in December and January, with 



l02 THE suburbanite's HANDBOOK 

formula I. The former may be kept down in summer by frequent 
spraying of formula A. 

Codlin Moth is probably the most familiar of our apple tree 
pests, more especially so in the form of "Apple Worm." The moths 
appear in May and June and lay their eggs at the blossom end of the 
apple. There they are hatched and after a few days they enter the 
apple by the crown, making straight for the core. There are three 
things to be done : First, spray within a week of the fall of the bloom 
with formula D ; second, gather all apples as they fall and destroy 
them ; third, place bands of hay around the stems of the affected trees 
in July. Remove and burn. 

Winter and March Moths — The caterpillars of these, usually 
known as "'loopers,'' feed on the young foliage of apple trees and 
occasionally even attack the bloom. It is of the utmost importance 
that immediately they appear the trees be sprayed with formula D, 
repeating the dose if necessary a few days later. Prevention, how- 
ever, is better than cure and a study of their life history shows us 
that though the male insect has wings the female is practically wing- 
less. As it cannot fly it can only reach the branches of the tree where 
it may lay eggs by crawling up the stem of the tree. They should 
therefore be trapped by placing bands of oiled paper smeared with 
axle grease (or any similar special preparation) around the stems of 
the trees the second week in October, at which time they are about 
to commence their upward journey. 

Canker — The most frequent and at the same time the most de- 
structive form of canker attacking the apple and pear trees is caused 
by a minute fungus (Neetria Ditissima). Being unable to pierce the 
unbroken bark it can only gain admission to the living portion of a 
branch through a wound. Sometimes these wounds are caused by 
hail, sometimes they result from punctures of small insects, but in 
my opinion they are more frequently caused by bursting of unripe 
wood cells, as explained below. 

Having once gained an entrance the fungus spreads rapidly 
through the bark, which soon shows signs of being eaten away. In 
the autumn months the presence of the "Neetria" may be recognized 
by the minute white specks (not to be confused with American 
blight) which may be seen nestling in crevices of the rugged bark 
around the edges of the wound. These are the fruits of the fungus 
which (while in this state) may be destroyed by painting them with a 
solution of one pound of sulphate of iron, dissolved in a gallon of 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 103 

water. I have given much thought to this subject, fully perused 
volumes of correspondence in the horticultural press, and have come 
to the conclusion that in most cases of canker the state of the roots 
is the secret of the mischief. Predisposing causes point to the best 
way of preventing and restricting its work. It will be noticed that 
canker seldom appears on trees whose roots are all near the surface, 
but most frequently on trees which have tap roots whose sap is 
drawn from the sour subsoil which, owing to its depth from the sur- 
face, has not been "sweetened" by the heat of the sun's rays. The 
cells of the wood produced by such sap cannot be properly ripened 
and on the appearance of cold the cells give way, causing the mark 
to split, the "Nectria" at once enters and canker commences its 
deadly work. The remedy, or rather the preventive, is to keep the 
roots near the surface by fre(iuent mulching of stable manure. Can- 
kered branches should be pared around to the quick and dressed 
cither with clay and cowdung. gas tar or grafting paste. 

Pear Midge — This is probably the greatest enemy of the pear. 
The midge itself is a small knat-like fly, which in April lays its eggs 
in the opening flower buds of the pear tree without in any way pre- 
venting the fruit from setting. There are no signs of its presence 
until a few weeks later, when those attacked commence to swell 
abnormally and to assume deformed shapes. On examination these 
will be found to contain a number of small worms. It is imperative 
that all fruits attacked be gathered and burnt, else early in July 
they will fall to the ground, turn to chrysalis and give a fresh 
supply for coming seasons. 

Pear Slugs — There are seveial kinds, but the most plentiful are 
the grubs of the pear and cherry sawfly. They do a great deal of 
harm, mostly in May, by eating not only the foliage, but also the 
tips of the growths of pears and plums. Spray with formula D. 

Cracking and Scab occur frequently on trees when the pruning 
and roots have been neglected. A change of soil at the roots will be 
needed, but the parasite fungi whose present prevent assimilation in 
the leaf and development in the fruit can only be eradicated by re- 
peated sprayings with formula F (including the Paris Green). First, 
when the buds begin to swell; second, just before the blooms open; 
third, when the blooms have fallen, and twice later at intervals of a 
fortnight. 

Mosses, Lichens and Scales — It is a pitiful sight to go through 
many orchards where apple trees in particular have their bark 



104 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

smothered with moss. Snch trees cannot possibly grow or bear well. 
It is essential that their barlv be carefully scraped and that in 
December or January they be thoroughly sprayed with formula 1. 
1 cannot too strongly recommend an annual spraying, as it arrests 
all mossy growth and destroys all scales, besides ridding the trees of 
insects which hibernate oi- lay their eggs in crevices or under the 
edges of the bark. 

PLUM AND DAMSON DISEASES. 

These are very liable to attacks from GREEN FLY in an aggra- 
vated form and will need one or two sprayings of formula A. They 
are probably more subject to scale than any other fruit tree, and 
must be sprayed in winter with formula 1, as shown in preceding 
paragraph. 

Red Spider — In both dry seasons the under sui-faces of plum 
leaves are liable to attacks by myriads of these, who suck the sap 
and choke the leaf pores with their line webs. A spraying or two 
of formula A, to which has been added one pound of Howers of sul- 
phur (boiled), will materially assist in eradicating these mites. 

Wasps— Plums are probably more than any other outdoor fruit 
liable to the depredations of wasps. Various wasp poisons are 
offered, but there is always a certain amount of danger in poisoning 
the fruit. By far the best metliod is to trace them to their nest at 
night. This is easily done by closing up tlieir entrance hole with a 
soft rag', which has been saturated in a solution made of dissolving 
2l^ ounces of cyanide of potassium (poison) in l^^ pints of water. 

PEACH AND NECTARINE DISEASES. 

Blister and Fly Curl — These are erroneously attributed by many 
to the work of Green Fly, whereas they are in reality caused by a 
fungoid disease (Exorcus Deformans), which attacks the foliage 
after a spell of cold winds. The damaged leaves should be picked 
off and burned and the tree kept clean of flies by spraying of formula 
A. The fungoid itself is difficult to dislodge and will require at 
least two sprayings of Bordeaux ]Mixture (formula F) to cope with 
its ravages. The first should be applied just before the buds begin 
to swell and folloAved by a second and weaker spraying as soon as 
the flowers have fallen. 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 105 

CHERRY DISEASES. 

Black Fly— Cherries are very liable to attacks from these. As 
soon as they appear the trees should be sprayed with formula A, 
or better still with the tobacco solution C, made slightly stronger. 
It is often necessary to dip the tips of the branches in the solution 
in order to destroy the fly. 

The falling of cherries at stoning time is usually attributable to 
the lack of lime in the soil. This may be remedied by freely mixing 
a quantity of lime rubble Avith the soil around the roots. A very 
beneficial" autumn dressing for all fruit trees, but especially for stone 
fruits, consists of 40 ounces Basig Slag and one ounce of Kainit to 
the square yard as far as the roots extend. If the trees are not fairly 
vigirous this may be followed in early spring by an application of 
two ounces of Superphosphates and one ounce of Sulphate of Am- 
monia to the same space. 

GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT DISEASES. 

Caterpillars of the gooseberry and currant sawfly may be dis- 
posed of by dusting the trees with hellebore powder or spraying 
them Avith formula E. Should there be any sign of mildew on the 
plants the solution of liver of sulphur (formula G) may be sprayed 
similtaneously with the preceding. Red spider, to which both are 
liable, should be treated as for plums. 

Big Bud — The black currant mite which causes this disease is 
too small to be seen with the naked eye, but a diseased bud on being 
examined under the microscope is found to contain myriads of little 
worm-like insects. As these lay eggs practically all the year round 
there is no effectual cure. It is advisable to prune off and burn all 
affected parts and obtain all fresh supplies of black currant bushes 
from an absolutely untained source. 

Gooseberry Mildew— Spray with Bordeaux Mixture as soon as 
the leaves drop in the fall, again before the buds break in the early 
spring. When the first leaves have expanded spray with potassium 
sulphide and repeat at intervals of ten days, if necessary, throughout 

the summer. 

The whole subject of fruit pests and spraying has been exhaus- 
tively discussed by the Agricultural Experiment Stations in nearly 
all the states and their Bulletins will be sent free on demand by 
citizens of the different states publishing them. 



106 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

It may be of interest in this connection to give a partial list of 
some of the Bulletins upon this subject, published by different Agri- 
cultural Colleges and Experiment Stations: 

Bulletin No. 123, Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Sta- 
tions. "Fungicides, Insecticides and Spraying Directions." 

Bulletin No. 106, Agricultural Experiment Station of Nebraska. 
"Does it Pay to Spray Nebraska Apple Orchards?" 

Bulletin No. 113, Vei-mont Agricultural Experiment Station. 
"Preparation and Use of Sprays." 

Bulletin No. 154, Maine Agricultural Experiment Station. "Paris 
Green and Bordeaux Mixture." 

Bulletin No. 49. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment station. 
"Petroleum Emulsion for San Jose Scale." 

Bulletin No. 23, Montana Agricultural College Experiment Sta- 
tion. "Injurious Fruit Insects. Insecticides." 

l^uUetiu No. 3, Vol. 4, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. 
"Summer Treatment of Scale Insects." 

Bulletin No. 296, New York Agricultural Experiment Station, 
(Jeneva. "Saving Old Orchards from Scale." 

Bulletin No. !)5, Arkansas Agricultural Station. "Notes on 
Spraying. ' ' 

Circular No. 120, University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment 
Station. "Spraying Apple Orchards for Insects and Fungi." 

In addition to the above the experiment stations in almost every 
state in the United States have published Bulletins or Circulars more 
or less elaborate upon this subject, for which readers may apply in 
writing. However if they will procure the above list and make 
themselves familiar with their contents they will become fairly well 
posted in details. 

VARIETIES OF FRUIT BEST ADAPTED TO THE DWARFING 

PROCESS. 

The vast number of varieties of fruit listed in the nurserymen's 
catalogues is very confusing to the suburbanite when he requires to 
make a selection for use. There are, however, some varieties that so 
much better adapted to the dwarfing process than others, that this 
appendix may prove helpful. While the commercial orchardist re- 
quires only a few varieties, but enough of each to furnish carload 
lots, and is compelled to conform to the market re(iuirements as to 



OP DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 107 

varieties, the suburbanite requires a greater variety and at the same 
time should plant the best. AND ONLY THE BEST. The folloAving 
lists may be selected from with the certainty of most satisfactory 
results. I would say here, however, tliat these lists by no means ex- 
haust the choicest varieties, but I must draw the line somewhere, 
and the following will afford ample Held to gratify individual fancy : 

APPLES. 

The following abbreviations are used: (C) for cooking varieties, 
(D) desert, (C and D) good for both purposes, (F C) show what 
varieties received the first-class ceritificate of the Royal Horticul- 
tural Society of England, which is the highest award given by that 
society and is a guarantee of the highest quality. (*) signifies extra 
quality, {''*) double extra, and (***) of superlative excellence. 

SELECTED DOZENS FOR SPECIAL QUALITIES. 
Large Size. 

AI.FBISTOSr (C). I.OBX> SUFFIEIiS (C **). 

BISMARCK (CTC*). MEB^I B£ M££TAGB (C). 

BBAMIiBY'S SE£I>I.ING (CFC«). MONSTBBUSB INCOMFABABIiE. 

£CKIiINVIi:iI.B SBBDI.ING (C). F£ASaOOX»'S NOH-SUCB (C). 

BMPBBOB AX.EXANDBB (C). FOTT'f; 3££BI.IK& (C). 

GIiOBIA MUNDI (C). WABNBB'S KING (C *). 

Bright Color. 

BISMABCK. KOIiX.ANI>BUBY'S ADMIBABI.E (C). 

CBIiINBE (C *). £.ABY HBHNBKXIB (C B FO). 

COX'S POMGNA (C). BiSBBB BB MBNAGB. 

UBVONSEIBB QUABBNBEN (H*). BBB ASTBACHAN (CD). 

BMFBBOB AI.BXA£ri»BB. THE QIJEBN (C B FC). 

GASCOIGNE'S SCABi:.ET (CFC). WOBCESTEB PEABIVIAXN (C D FC). 

Fine Flavor. 

AIiIiINGTON PIPPIN (B FC). IBISH PEACH (B). 

BI.ENEEIM OBANGE (C B *). KING OF PIPPINS (B *). 

COBNISH GIXiIiIFIiOWEB (B). AIABGII. (B 'i'*). 

COX'S GOIiBEN PIPPIN (B). MB. GIiABSTONE (B *). 

BUKE OF BEVONSHIBE (B =<=). BIB3TON PIPPIN (B). 

GOIiBEN PIPPIN (B *). BOYAI. BUSSET (B). 

Heavy Crops. 

AI.FBISTON. KESWICK COBI,IN (C). 

BISMABCK. I.ANE'S PBINCE AX.BEBT (C FC ■»). 

CEI.INEE. I.OBB SUFFIEI.B. 

BEVONSHIBE QVABENBEN. PORT'S SEEBI.ING. 

ECKI.INVIXiI.E SEEBI.ING. STIBLING CASTLE (C). 

HAWTHOBNBEN (C). WOBCESTEB PEABMAIN. 



108 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

Some of the above excel in moi'e than one quality and conse- 
(juently are more desirable. Detailed description of the above will 
be found further on. While the above may prove a sufficient list 
for the majority of suburbanites to select from. I will add a descrip- 
tive list of 50 of the best (piality of apples in order to furnish a 
wider range for selection. 

Descriptive List of Fifty Best Apples. 

(For Suburbanite's Use.) 

DESSERT. 

AIiIiINGTON PIPPIN (P C) — A richly flavored apple, result of cros.s between 

King- of Pippins and Cox'.s Orange Pippin. Yellow streaked with red on 

sunny side; good bearer; free gi'ower; November to February. 
BELIiE PIiOWEB (*) — Large and excellent; skin smooth, yellow, tender; juicy, 

crLsj). November to January. 
BIiENHEIMS OBANGi: — Flesh yellowish, eiisp, juicy; good both for table and 

kitchen use. Novenilier to February. 
CHABXiES ilOSS (P C) — A seedling from Cox's Orange Pippin; large and hand- 

S(.)me. solid, iieavy. and high flavored. November to December. 
CIiAYGATE FEABMAIN — IN'Iedium size, richly flavored, highly aromatic, similar 

lo Kibston Pippin. January to iVIay. 
COX'S OKANGE PIPJFIN (*=i^*) — Medium size. There is no better apple grown. 

C)ctoljer to February. 
COBOHATIOK — Medium size; resembling Cox's Orange Pippin; suffu.sed with 

red and streaked on sunny side, ieptember to October. 
COURT PENBig PIiAT (*) — Medium, handsomely shaped. A valuable desert 

apple of first quality. In use l>ccember to May. 
DETROIT RED- — Above medium, entirely covered with uniform darkest red, 

tlesli suffused with bright red; of very fine flavor. November to Januarj-. 
BEVOHSHIRE QIIAREKUEM — Medium, skin almost entirely dark purplisli red, 

crisp, juic.N- and rich; the best early high colored apple. August. 
DUKE OP EEVONijHIRE — Medium, I'ich, crisp, juicy. February to May. 
GRAVENSTEIH (=:=)— i-'^i>'Se. popular, high quality; good also for kitchen. Sep- 

tendjer to January. 
CrOIiDEN PIPPIN — Weil known for excellence; small size. November to February. 
IRISH PEACH — Karly and high perfumed, juicy and well tlavored, medium size. 

August. 
KING OP PIPPINS — Medium to large; very handsome; crisp and juicy. c:»ctober 

to January. 
MA'RGIZi — Small, richly Jiavored; one of the Unest desert apples. No\-eml.)er to 

Marcli. 
MANNINGTON'S PEARMAIN— Medium, juicy, sweet, flavor rich; should be 

allowed to hang late on the tree. November to March. 
McINTOSH RED (*) — Medium, hardy, nearly covered with dark red; flesh white, 

line, juicy and refreshing. November. 
MR. GLADSTONE (P C) — The earliest desert apple; mottled red with yellow 

streaks; carries bloom like a plum; very prolific. July. 
RIBSTON PIPPIN — Medium; a favorite English apple; flesh yellow, firm, with 

ricli .'iriimatir ll;i\-or; very jirolific. October to January. 
RED JTJNEATING — Medium size, early and excellent; very popular. July. 
SPITZENBERG ESOPUS — Medium to large, deep red, flesh yellow, highly 

flavored, suli-acid. November to March. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 109 

STURMEK'S PIPPIN — Medium size, firm, brisk, richly llavoretl; a valual>le late 
keeping apple; eomins: into u.se when other late varieties are over. Feliruary 
to June. 

THE HOUBLON — A grand desert apple, from a pip of the same fruit from which 
the Cliarles Ross was raised; a deeper and longer keeping Cox's Orange 
Pippin; remarkably firm fleshed and attractive variety. October to March. 

THE QUEEH (F C) — Handsome; a great bearer; flesh white tender and excellent; 
enormousl.v prolific. September. 

WI2CTES BAEfAKA (**■■■■) — This is a remarkably handsome apple; large, with 
strong banana flavor. The highest priced apple on the market. October to July. 

CULINARY. 

ALPRISTON— A good bearer, and one of the largest apples in cultivation. No- 
vember to April. 
BEAUTY OF BATH (P C> — A beautiful striped early apple; good grower and 

abundant bearer. August. 
BISMARCK (P C) — One of the lian<lsomest apples in cultivation and a profuse 

l^iearer. No\-oniber to February. 
BRAMIiEir'S SEEDLING (P C) — Skin striped with scarlet; very large, flesh 

firm, acid and .luicy; a valuable late apple. December to March. 
CEIiENEE — A handsome large red apple; one of the most commendable of all 

apples. October and November. 
CANADA REINSTTE — Large yellow, firm, well flavored; good for desert or 

kitchen; an abundant bearer. November to January. 
COX'S POMOITA — Large, very handsome; one of the best and most prolific of 

apples. September to October. 
BUTCK MICiiTONNE — Large, round, smooth and handsome; good for table or 

kitchen. Deceml>er to April. 
BUMEIlOW'S SEEDI.IK'G (V/elliiig-ton) — Large and excellent; always i-etains its 

acid. Novemljer to March. 
ECKXiINVIlIsIS SEEUr-ING — I>arge. roundish; a handsome and excellent apple 

and .great beaier. October to January. 
EMPEROR AI.EXA2TBER — Fruit very large, roundish ovate, flesh tender; one of 

the most beautiful apples. September to November. 
GASCOIGNES gSEEIHilNG (P C) — A distinct richly colored and exceedingly hand- 
some apide; free l)earer; its bright color makes it a favorite for the table 

and kitchen. November to March. 
GOI.BEN NOBLE — Very large, roundish, skin smooth, clear bright yellow, flesh 

A-ellowish. firm and juicy. October to Mai'ch. 
HAWTHORNDEN — Large, roundish yellow, flesh white, crisp, tender and very 

highly flavored. October to January. 
KESWICK COI9I.IN — Medium, conical, angular, light yellow; a great bearer, sel- 
dom misses a crop. August and September. 
KING OP TOMPKINS COtXN^'Y — Very large and handsome, flavor rich, tender 

and goou, equally adapted to table or kitchen. November to January. 
LANE'S PRINCE A:C,BERT — An extremely handsome an^l late variety; a good 

bearer; very recommendable. October to January. 
LORB SUPPIELD — Very large, nearly white; a most abundant bearer. August 

and September. 
NEWTON WONDER — Large, solid; keeps late; very prolific; one of the best of 

recent introductions. November to May. 
PEASGOOD'S NON-SXTCH (F C) — One of the handsomest .apples in cultivation; 

flesh yellow, tender, juicy, with an agreeable acid flavor. October to January. 
POTTS' 3EEDX.ING — A handsome and prolific yellow apple; a very desirable 

A-ariety. September and October. 
STERIiING CASTLE — An excellent apple and great bearer; skin green, turning 

to pale yellow; flesh white, tender and juicy. October and November. 



110 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

WEALTHY — \'er\- lianl>'. pmlifir, nuMiiiini to large .size; red streaked; good packer 

on accr)iint of uniform shape: good for table or kitchen. September to 

Decern Ijer. 
WARIfEJB'S KIHG — Very large, deep yellow strewed with russet; flesh white. 

lender, crisp and juicy, with fine brisk sub-acid flavor; first-rate culinary 

apjilc; prolific. ()ctol>er to January. 
WORCESTER FEARMAIN (P C)— Medium size; skin completely covered with red; 

flesh tender, jnic>- and well flavored: early and of good quality. August and 

September. 

Willie the above is a jrood list of choice variety of apples that 
will chvarf well, and oive satisfaction, yet there are h)ts more that 
might be added. In one of the nnrserymeii's catalogues now before 
me 172 varieties of apples are listed, and others give still longer lists. 
It may be that many of my readers are unfamiliar with the names of 
some of the varieties, they being of Enropean origin. This arises 
from the fact that more attention has been paid to dwarfing there, 
and I avail myself of the European's well practiced experience. At 
the same time I include a number of choice American varieties. 

PEARS. 

To France and the Island of Jersey we owe some of our best 
pears, and it will be noticed that in the following list I have drawn 
largely on both these countries, as the dwarfing system has been 
highly develo])ed there. (*) means extra. (**) means a .super-excel- 
lent. (C) for culinary. (D) for dessert. (DC) good for both purposes. 
(DG) double irrafted. 

BARTLETT (Bon Cretien) — A well known pear of the highest excellence. August 
and t^e]itenilier. 

BEI.X.E DE JERSEY (BEI.I.E ANGEVENE)) (C) — This is the largest of all 
pears, sometime.'^ weighing up to three pounds: is very ornamental and is 
used in France more to ornament the dinner table than for eating. It fre- 
quently sells in the Palais Royal, Paris, for 30 francs each. November to May. 

BERG-AMOTTE ZSPEREN (D) — A delicious late pear, medium size; flesh yel- 
lowish, melting and juicy. February to April. 

BEXTRRE D' ANJOtJ (D) — barge; an excellent melting pear; one of the best early 
winter pears. December. 

BEXTRRE D' AMANI.IS (* D) — This is one of our best September pears; very 
larjse, tender, juicy, melting, witli richly perfumed flavor: an excellent wall 
l"ienr. September. 

BEURRE D' AREMBERG (D) — Very juicy, .sweet and delicious with pleasant 
aroma. September. (Known as GLOU MORCEAU in England.) 

BXTRRE BEXTRRE BIEIi (D) — Very large, aften weighing 16 to 20 ounces; melt- 
inc: anil exr.^llent; a well known pear. November and December. 

BEXTRRE GIPPORD (D) — Medium size, melting, very juicy; one of the best 
early pears; a good pear. July. 

BEXTRRE HARI>Y (D) — T.,arge: an excellent melting pear; remarkable for its 
beaut >• and vigor of growth on the quince; is very good on a wall. October. 

BEXTRRE RANGE (D G) — Often very large; a most excellent late melting pear; 
requires double grafting; forms a better bush than pyramid. March and April. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. Ill 

BEUBBE SUPERFINE (* D)— A most delicious desert pear; well known as one 

of our best dessert pears. September and October. 
BEUBSE CAPLAUMONT (D C) — Medium size, juicy and agreeable; a most 

abundant bearer. October. 
BEUBBE IitrCBATIVE (D) — A fine medium, melting pear, yellow, delicious, 

good grower and productive. September. 
CATAI.I.AC (* C) — An immense bearer; best for stewing, owing to large size; is 

better as bush or espalier. December to March. 
CI.AIBGEATJ (D G) — Large and very handsome; double grafted; it makes a 

liandsome pyramid. December. 
CIiAPS FAVORITE (* D) — An American pear of high excellence; large, hand- 
some and exceedingly good, and is valuable for either wall or orchard. August. 
CONFEBEirCE (* D PC) — Fruit large; flesh salmon colored, melting, juicy and 

rich; tree robust and hardy. Early November. 
CITBOir DE CABMES (B DG) — Below medium size; when double grafted it bears 

very fine fruit; is very popular in France, where few fruit gardens are with- 
out it. July. 
SXTBONBEATT (DE TONGERS) — Very large and handsome, melting, rich and 

delicious: a good wall or espalier pear. October and November. 
SUCHESSE r>' AlfGOTTIiEME (D C) — A very large and noble looking fruit; best 

suited for exhibition, though when grafted on quince the fruit becomes melt- 
ing and rich. October and November. 
DB. JUIES GUYOT (*** D) — A great improvement on the Bartlett, being earlier; 

is often of the highest quality. August and September. 
DOTTEK'NE BOUSSOCH — A very large and hand.some pear, which succeeds and 

bears profusely on the quince; good on wall or trellis. October and November. 
DOYENE DE COMICE (** D C) — A most delicious pear, of largest size, very 

handsome; melting and juicy. The fruit on a wall or espalier is superb in 

quality and appearance. In the orchard house, in a pot, the fruit will ripen 

on the tree into November and may then be gathered and eaten. November. 
FOBEIiXiE (TBOTTT PEAB) (D G) — Medium; a very handsome speckled pear; 

sueoeeds well double grafted; the color of skin is very attractive. November. 
GENEBAX, TODX.EBEIT — Very large, melting and juicy; good as a wall or espa- 
lier pear; great bearer. November. 
JEBSEY GBATICI.I — A delicious pear and great bearer. September and October. 
JEBSEY CHATTMONTEIi (** D) — The best and finest of all our pears, bearing a 

crop when all other fail; the flavor of this remarkable pear is unequalled; 

often weighs one and one-half pounds. 
JABG01TEI.I.E (D G) — A large, well known early variety, particularly adapted 

for an early wall. July. 
JOSEPHINE DE ]VIAX,INES ( *) — Medium size; a delicious hardy, melting pear, 

with rich aromatic flavor; succeeds well on quince; bears well as bush or 

espalier; is very prolific. January, February, March. 
GANSEIiS BEBGAMOT (D G) — Large and very handsome; perfumed, melting and 

excellent: slow in coming into bearing, unless double grafted. October and 

November. 
IiOTJISE BON DE JERSEY (D) — A general favorite: beautiful and good. October. 
LAWRENCE D *) — A very late, long keeping, medium size pear of high quality. 

December to March. 
IiE I.ECTIER (* D) — A large French staple pear of high quality; tree vigorous 

and constant V>earer. January to March. 
MARGARET MARII.I.AT (D) — Large, handsome, with distinct flavor. September. 
MARECEAXi DE LA COTTR (** D) — Large, hardy, melting: very fine on wall or 

trellis. October and November. 
MARIE LOUISE (* D) — Large, well known pear of highest excellence; double 

grafted on wall or espalier it attains large size, and is invariably of good 

flavor. October and November. 
MADAME TREYVE (* D) — Large, early, melting and very rich; hardy. September 



112 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 



PITaKASTON DUCHESSE (* H C) — Very larse. of sood quality; Rood at all 
points — in orchard house, on a wall, as an espalier, or as an orchard .standard. 
October and November. 

FASSE CEASA2T2ffE (D) — An excellent late pear; one of the finest; requires a 
good S'lil and higii culture, and warm .situation to develop its best qualities. 
Januarj' to March. 

PRINCS x?AP0X.E02T (D) — Lar,i,'e; a seedling- from Passe Crasanne; melting, with 
tine aroma. January to Mai'cli. 

SECKI.E (-*DG-) — Smair, an American pear; allowed to lie "the stamlard of ex- 
cellence in pears." October and November. 

SOUVEHIB DU CONG-BESS (** DG D C) — Very large, weighing one to two 
jiounds; on quince reiiu.ires double grafting; excellent on a wall. September. 

SKELSON (* D) — Large, gloliular, russet; fla\-or resembling the Seckle. October 
to Oeceniber. 

SWAN'S ORANGE (ONODAGA) (D C) — Large yellow pears of good quality. 
NoN'omlier to Decemlier. 

WINTER ORANGE (C PC) — Medium to large, rich russet brown. January. 

WINTER NEIiIiIS (* D) — Below medium, melting, juicy, delicious llavor; pro- 
ductive. December to January. 

PEACHES. 

(Be.st Twelve.) 

ALEXANDER (** Semi-Cling') — A liandsome. richly colored peach; very popular 

among fruit growers; luird>-. ripening out of doors about the middle of June 

(PC?). July. 
CRAWPORI3 EARI.Y (Free) — A magnificent, large, yellow peach of a good 

quality; its size, beauty and productiveness makes it one of the most popular 

varieties; hardj'. Midscas<in 
CRAWFORD, LATE (-? FREE) — Fruit large, yellow, vigorous, productive; one 

of tlie finest late sorts; lianlj'. End of Septendier. 
CARMAN (*?FREE) — Lai'ge, resembling Klberta pale yellow; prolific; hardy. 

Miilseason. 
CHAMPION (**? Free) — of recent introduction; large, of high quality; hardy. 

Ripens after ICarly Crawford. 
ELEEBTA (**? FREE) — \'ery large; golden yellow; hardy; prolific. A general 

fa\i:irite. Late Septemlier. 
G-ROSSE MIGNONNE (* Free) — Very large and very good; midseason peach, 

Septemiier. 
HALE'S EARLY (*** Free) — A magnificent early peach, highly colored and 

riciily flavored; by far the most popular of the early peaches. Ripens in July. 
NIAGARA (**?Free) — A large, beautiful and high quality peach; hardy. End 

(jf August. 
NOBLESSE (** Free) — One of the best peaclies; very large: one of the best 

eitlier for forcing or open wall. September. 
PRINCESS OF WALES (** Free) — Very largest and best of peaches known. 

Middle to end of Septendier. 
ROYAL GEORGE (** Free) — A great favorite; large; a most reliable mid-season 

peach. August and September. 

NECTARINES. 

A3JVANCE (*) — One of the earliest. Nectarines. August. 

EARLY RIVERS (* PC) — Tlie earliest of the nectarines; a grand acquisition. 

rtcginning of August. 
LORB NAPIER (* Free) — Fruit very large and handsome. August. 
PITMASTON ORANGE (Free) — Large, rich and sweet. September. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 113 

FXlTEAFFIiX: (Free) — Large and very rich; ripens a week after the Pitmaston. 

September. 
STANWXCK EIiBUGZ: (>:= Free)— Large and richly flavored; flesh white and 



sugary. September. 



APRICOTS. 



BIiFNHEIM (*) — Medium, juicy and good; tree hardy and not liable to gum. 

September. 
MOOB FABK (* Free) — Large, early, juicy, rich and excellent; tree hardy. End 

Augu.st. 
*OYA3i (* Free) — A standard variety, of great hardiness and all around good 

qualities. July and August. 

EUROPEAN GRAPES. 

(Hardy for Outdoors.) 

BIiACK HAMBURG — The most popular European grape in cultivation; very 

large, juicy, vinous and rich; most popular variety. 
GBOS COi;MAir — Best late grape, of noble appearance, easily cultivated; flavor 

improves by late keeping. 
IiADY DOWNE'S SEEDIiING — Valuable late keeping grapes of fine flavor. 
SWEET WATER — The best of the hardy grapes; succeeds well in the open. 

AMERICAN GRAPES. 

NIAGARA— Hardy, white. BBIGHTOIT. 

CONCORD— Hardy, black. DEIiAWARE. 

MOORE'S EARLY — Hardy. l)lack. AGAWAM. 

CHERRIES. 

BIiACK BIGARREATJ" — An excellent large black cherry; very recommendable. 

.Tuly and early August. 
BIiACK TARTARIAN — Very large, sweet and good; a good bearer. Ripe .July 

and August. 
BIiACK REFUBIiIC — Large, medium season; a good shipper. August. 
SING- — A strong grower; fruit very large; very hardy and productive; fine mar- 
ket variety. End July. 
DIKEMAN — A large dark cherry; hangs long on tree. August. 
EARIiY RICHMOND — Red, acid, juicy; good for cooking. June. 
EIiTOIT — Very large; light red, and excellent. July. 
ENGXjISH MOREIiI^O — Productive, and late; a culinary cherry of good quality; 

when grown on a north wall of building may be kept in good condition until 

September and October. 
GOVERNOR WOOD — Good, early, light cherry: tender, juicy, sweet and delicious. 

End of June. 
I.AMBERT — Very large, flesh firm, flavor unsurpassed; excellent shipper; ripens 

two weeks later than Royal Anne. End of August. 
MAY DTTKE— Best of the early cherries; well known old variety. June. 
NOBLE (F C) — Large, very dark red; flesh firm and very late; a new sort. 

September. 
OLIVET — Large, globular: very shining; deep red; flesh tender, rich, vinous, with 

sweet sub-acid flavor: one of the most profitable and latest cherries. Sept. 
ROYAL ANNE (NAFOLEON BIGARREAU) — A very fine cherry of largest size: 

very productive. August. 



114 THE SUBURBANITE'S HANDBOOK 

STRANG I.OG1E— A magnificent early dark red cherry; rich flavor and an ex- 
tradfilinary Ijearer. Jvine and July. 

WHITEHEAKT — A lieautiful cherry; pale yellow, marbled with red; a great 
bearer; certainly one of the very best cherries. Middle of July. 

WINDSOR — A valuable late market cherry; fruit large, liver colored; flesh re- 
markably firm and of fine quality; very prolific. End of August. 

PLXJMS. 

REINi: CX.AUDE DB BAT ATT— Round, greenish yellow, very large, rich and de- 
licious. (Dctolier. 
BELGIAN RED— A delicious dessert plum. Rnd of August. 
COiUMBSA — Very large, round, purple, rich and sugary; parts freely from the 

stone. August. 
CZAR — The earliest of the fairly large blue plums; the best of its season. End 

of July. 
COB'S GCX.DEN DROP (SILVER PRUNE) — One of the richest yellow plums; 

very lars'e. Km! of Septemlter. 
ITALIAN PRUNE (HELLEMBERQ; Larg'e German Prune) — Large, juicy and 

delicious; freestone; excellent for drying. September. 
JBFPBRSON — A fine, lar.ge, oval, yellow plum; very rich, juicy, freestone. August. 
KIRKB'S — .\ delicious dessert plum fruit; large, purple, with blue bloom, that 

does not easily rub off; firm, juicy and very richly flavored. September. 
MONARCH (F C)^ — Fruit very large, dark purplish blue; freestone; of excellent 

quality; skin does not crack with heavy rain; grown on a wall the fruit 

grows \'ery Large. Late September. 
PEACH PLUM — Very large, brownish red, coai-.se grained but juicy and pleasant. 

July. 
POND'S SEEDLING (HUNGARIAN PRUNE) — An enormous bright red culinary 
plum, decidedly one of tlie h(\st for cooking purposes; very productive and a 

good shipper. September. 
SHROPSHIRE DAMSON — Small, oval, very prolific; culinary. September. 
VICTORIA — TliG most pi-olific of all plums; fruit large, red, juicy, sweet and 

pleasantly flavored. .September. 
WASHINGTON — Large, yi^Ilow, marked with crimson dots; rich and sugary. 



Septcmlier. 



FIGS. 



BROWN TTJKKEY — Tlie liardiest variety; biownish purple; large, rich and excel- 
lent; l)cars most abundantly in pots and on walls and forces well. 

WHITE MARSEILLES — Large, greenish white, of most luscious sweetness; 
bears abundantly and forces well. 

CURRANTS. 

Black. 

BLACK NAPIES — Very large and good. 

LEE'S BLACK — Large, very productive, verj' sweet. 

VICTORIA — Black, large and sweet, with long bunches. 

Red. 

FAY'S PE.OLIFIC — Tlie largest red currant; bunches short, and very good. 
LA VERSAXLLAISE — Very large, and good; an abundant bearer. 
RED DUTCH — Bunches short, a sweet, rich and good currant. 



OF DWARF FRUIT TREE CULTURE. 115 

White. 

WHITE SUTCa — A well known good sort. 

NOTE — To produce very large red and white currants the bush 
should be cut in closely, i. e. the young shoots should annually be 
shortened to two inches. Currants make very handsome pyramids 
and bear profusely. 

GOOSEBEEEIES. 
Eough Reds. 

CHAMFAXGNZ: — Very rich flavor. LAXVCASHIBE LAD — Great bearer. 

COM^AKIOW— Extra fine. BIIt'LEMAH— Immense; late. 

CaoWM" BOB — A sure cropper and VICSOKIA — New; highly prized. 

good quality. WAja^I£ft*-X-0»' — Good fiavor; late. 

IROMMOHGEja— Small, higli flavor. WiNBHAM'S INDUSTRY— Large size. 

Smooth Beds. 

CONQUEBIifCr HBBO — Heavy cropper. SLAUG-H^'EBMAN — Extra fine. 
MAOfOK illBBEJftT— Large. iM,AYX»Uli£E— Very early and desirable. 

Smooth Yellows. 

LEAUEB— Very fine. lEVELlEB— Extra large; good flavor. 

White. 

WHITE SMITH — Earliest white. iLNTAGONIST— The largest white. 

Green. 

BEBBVS EABZ.y KENT — Early, deli- IiANGLY'S QAGE — Highly flavored; 

cious. grand for dessert. 

SBIZiIi — Extra fine. SKAKESPEABE — Very large. 

HABBABY EABIiY OBEEN — The SIB GEOBG-E BBOWN — Large and well 

earliest. flavored. 

KEEPSAKE — Large, early, delicious. STOCKWEIiIi — Large and good. 

IiANCEB (Howard's) — Large and great TEIiEGBAFH — Extra fine; slow grower. 

bearer. 

Rough Yellows. 

BBOOM GIBIi — Large and good flavor. aUNNES — Handsome, richly flavored. 

CATHEBINA — Long and fine. i;anGI.Y BEAUTY — Large and good; 

OOIiDEN DBOF — Very early, fine highly flavored, 
flavor. 



DR. A. W. THORNTON'S 

Suburbanite's Dwarf Fruit Tree Nursery 

FERNDALE 
Whatcom County, Washington 



This nursery is being established for the propagation of Dwarf 
Fruit Trees and will be confined to that class of fruit and will be con- 
ducted on the co-operative plan and strictly under the Golden Rule, 
a large proportion of the profits being set aside and divided annually 
among the employees. 

The operations of the nursery will be confined to the production 
of only the highest quality of fruits and such as have been found to 
respond best to the dwarfing process. No inferior stock will be 
allowed to grow in the nursery or sold therefrom. 

The classes of fruit grown will consist of 

POME FRUITS — (Apples, Pears and Quinces.) 

STONE FRUITS— (Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries and 
Plums.) 

SMALL FRUITS — Curi-ants, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, 

etc.) 

TRAINED TREES — Special attention will be given to this line. 

This nursery will be kept up to date in every department and 
the interests of suburbanites will be a fundamental rule. 

For further particulars and price lists, apply to as above. 



Suburbanite's Special Collection of 
Dwarf Fruit Trees 



I will furnish these special collections at the prices named. D«: • 
livered free by mail for cash with order. The trees will be of the 
best varieties, assorted of the class known as "Maidens," or one 
year from the bud, and pruned back ready for planting. 

If desired, trees of a bearing age (2 years) and furnished with 
fruit buds that will bloom and bear fruit the first season after plant- 
ing will be furnished F. 0. B. at Ferndale, Whatcom County, Wash- 
ington (as the roots would be too well developed to send safely by 
mail), at 50 per cent above the price of "Maidens." 

Collection A — Apples. 

Five assorted apples (early and late, culinary and dessert) ; my own 
selection of varieties ; all maidens ; free by mail $4.50 

Collection B — Apples. 

Five similar varieties, 2 years old (bearing age), F. O. B. at Fern- 
dale, Whatcom County, Washington $6.75 

Collection C — Pears. 

Five pears, assorted varieties, Maidens; my selection; free by 
mail $4.50 

Collection D — Pears. 

Five pears, similar varieties, 2 years old (bearing age), with fruit 
buds ; F. 0. B. at Ferndale $6.75 

Collection E — Stone Fruit. 

Five assorted stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, apricots or cherries) ; 
my selection; "Maidens;" free by mail for $9.00 



Collection F — Stone Fruit. 

Five assorted stone fruit, as above, 2 years old (bearing age) ; F. O. 
B. at Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington, for $12.50 

SMALL FRUIT. 
Collection G — Gooseberries. 

One dozen assorted Maidens, gooseberries, red, white, yellow, green; 
prize varieties ; my selection ; free by mail (these will be adapt- 
ed to training as upright cordons or U form cordons ) $3.00 

Collection H — Gooseberries. 

One dozen assorted gooseberries, 2 years old, bearing age ; F. 0. B. 
at Ferndale $4.50 

Collection I — Currants. 

One dozen assorted currants (white, red or black); Maidens; free 
by mail $2.50 

Collection J — Currants. 
Six fancy trained assorted currants (bushes — standards), cordons; 
fruiting age $3.00 



DR. A. W. THORNTON 
Suburbanite's Dwarf Fruit Tree Nursery 

Ferndale, Whatcom County 

Washington 



MAY 29 1909 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDDD^172D4A 



